What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Majesty's Royal Coven #3
Human Rites
With Her Majesty’s Royal Coven in shambles and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the sisterhood of friends and witches must find a new way of putting together the pieces if (wo)mankind is to stand a chance, in this final chapter to Juno’s “irresistible” series (Lana Harper)
Niamh, Ciara, Leonie, Elle and Theo. Five very different witches with one thing in they were unwittingly chosen by the dangerously charming Lucifer, the demon king of desire, to fulfil a dark Satanis will rise and the daughters of Gaia will fall.
The coven is reunited—but broken. Niamh is back from the dead…but she hasn’t come back alone. Elle mourns a son she never had. Ciara languishes in a prison for witches, and Leonie reels from a very unexpected surprise.
Meanwhile, Lucifer offers fledgling witch Theo a if she helps him, her coven—her family—will be spared. But the magic he asks for will take her out of London—out of time, entirely.
The final confrontation between good and evil in the spectacular conclusion to the saga of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven.
Niamh, Ciara, Leonie, Elle and Theo. Five very different witches with one thing in they were unwittingly chosen by the dangerously charming Lucifer, the demon king of desire, to fulfil a dark Satanis will rise and the daughters of Gaia will fall.
The coven is reunited—but broken. Niamh is back from the dead…but she hasn’t come back alone. Elle mourns a son she never had. Ciara languishes in a prison for witches, and Leonie reels from a very unexpected surprise.
Meanwhile, Lucifer offers fledgling witch Theo a if she helps him, her coven—her family—will be spared. But the magic he asks for will take her out of London—out of time, entirely.
The final confrontation between good and evil in the spectacular conclusion to the saga of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven.
464 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2025
357 people are currently reading
17274 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews
July 2, 2025
4.5 stars
“I had an idea; Desperate Housewives, but they’re witches.” And from that kernel of an idea sprung the vibrant trilogy of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. Millennial childhood friends and witches, women embracing their power, celebrating diversity, community, and friendship, with sassy quips, 90s nostalgia, and an irreverent attitude. Bursting with brilliant LGBTQIA+ characters and exploring diaspora and intersectionality. All of this in the background while facing down the big bad.
Human Rites is the final book of the trilogy, so I don’t want to say too much and risk spoilers. Let’s just say that it’s a wild ride of a book that kept me gripped and on my toes to the end! Our witches channelled their inner Buffy and spouted sassy quips when the stakes were at their highest. There were so many twists and turns, great character growth and development, and emotional hits that really hit home.
“I had an idea; Desperate Housewives, but they’re witches.” And from that kernel of an idea sprung the vibrant trilogy of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. Millennial childhood friends and witches, women embracing their power, celebrating diversity, community, and friendship, with sassy quips, 90s nostalgia, and an irreverent attitude. Bursting with brilliant LGBTQIA+ characters and exploring diaspora and intersectionality. All of this in the background while facing down the big bad.
Human Rites is the final book of the trilogy, so I don’t want to say too much and risk spoilers. Let’s just say that it’s a wild ride of a book that kept me gripped and on my toes to the end! Our witches channelled their inner Buffy and spouted sassy quips when the stakes were at their highest. There were so many twists and turns, great character growth and development, and emotional hits that really hit home.
August 14, 2025
Pre-review: TELL ME ABOUT THE FOOT. 👀
I enjoyed this, but as much as I like the humor and pop culture references, here it often slowed down and got in the way of what was going on; I wish the character arcs felt deeper and more poignant as well. And for the first time, a lot of the themes felt hammered in, which felt inelegant and grew a bit tiresome—I’m in support of the many topics brought up, of course, but they sometimes felt muscled in. I should be more gripped by the story and characters rather than picturing the Etsy tees in my head.
3.5 stars
The ending was overall satisfying, however, viewed in broad strokes.
I enjoyed this, but as much as I like the humor and pop culture references, here it often slowed down and got in the way of what was going on; I wish the character arcs felt deeper and more poignant as well. And for the first time, a lot of the themes felt hammered in, which felt inelegant and grew a bit tiresome—I’m in support of the many topics brought up, of course, but they sometimes felt muscled in. I should be more gripped by the story and characters rather than picturing the Etsy tees in my head.
3.5 stars
The ending was overall satisfying, however, viewed in broad strokes.
March 31, 2025
The conclusion to Her Majesty’s Royal Coven! This is a mostly satisfying ending, but there’s a LOT going on here, and at times it feels a bit rushed in a race to tie up all the threads. There are some characters that get very satisfying arcs, and some that get short shrift. One character seems to exist solely for the purposes of deux ex machina, and I think the story as a whole would have benefitted from more time fleshing them out and making them feel like more than just a convenient plot point.
It's a fun read, very witchy and very girl-power, but I do think this is probably the weakest of the three books. Still, it’s got some wonderful characters and I kinda hope we get maybe some short stories or some continuation where we see more of Senait; I think she’d be a lot of fun to come back to, and has a lot of potential.
Despite some of the rough spots, I do think that if you enjoyed the first two you’ll like this conclusion; and if you haven’t started this series but you like books about women’s power, and the power in tight, strong female friendships – or you just like a good witchy story! – then Her Majesty’s Royal Coven would be a great choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the chance to read this early digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinions!
It's a fun read, very witchy and very girl-power, but I do think this is probably the weakest of the three books. Still, it’s got some wonderful characters and I kinda hope we get maybe some short stories or some continuation where we see more of Senait; I think she’d be a lot of fun to come back to, and has a lot of potential.
Despite some of the rough spots, I do think that if you enjoyed the first two you’ll like this conclusion; and if you haven’t started this series but you like books about women’s power, and the power in tight, strong female friendships – or you just like a good witchy story! – then Her Majesty’s Royal Coven would be a great choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the chance to read this early digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinions!
October 19, 2025
I've been staring at the blank page for over 10 minutes now and I'm not sure what to write about this final book because I feel kind of empty. Reading the last 30% of this book felt like a rush and now it's just over!?
The ending wasn't 100% what I would have wished for, but that would probably have been too unrealistic in this case. I definitely wanted more time with a specific couple but I guess my imagination has to be enough 🥲
I've been reading this story for the last 2.5 years and, on the one hand, I'm sad that I won't be able to follow the characters' adventures any further, but on the other hand, I'm also glad that the storyline wasn't artificially drawn out to more books.
"Her Majesty's Royal Coven" was a great journey about women, witches, sisterhood and really cool types of magic. If any of you enjoy reading stories with a (modern) witchy vibe, you should definitely check out this trilogy!
Pre-Reading thoughts:
If this book is published in a year's time, I'll have forgotten everything
The ending wasn't 100% what I would have wished for, but that would probably have been too unrealistic in this case. I definitely wanted more time with a specific couple but I guess my imagination has to be enough 🥲
I've been reading this story for the last 2.5 years and, on the one hand, I'm sad that I won't be able to follow the characters' adventures any further, but on the other hand, I'm also glad that the storyline wasn't artificially drawn out to more books.
"Her Majesty's Royal Coven" was a great journey about women, witches, sisterhood and really cool types of magic. If any of you enjoy reading stories with a (modern) witchy vibe, you should definitely check out this trilogy!
Pre-Reading thoughts:
If this book is published in a year's time, I'll have forgotten everything
February 28, 2025
You mean now I have to say goodbye to the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series? But... I never want to leave? Hebden Girlies Group Chat 4eva.
I cannot stress enough how much you need to read HMRC, because Human Rites was a masterpiece of an ending. Juno Dawson has managed to create a community and a vision for the future and a guide on how to be a powerful, supportive woman in a world which wants us to stay down, on our backs and in the kitchen where we belong. She tackles complex social issues in frankly a funny AF way. This series had me laughing out loud, while also crying multiple times in this final installment. Pick this up if you want a witty, fast-paced adventure with an EPIC conclusion. How she thought out that last 30% is beyond me. So incredible.
Girl power is fucking magic.
I cannot stress enough how much you need to read HMRC, because Human Rites was a masterpiece of an ending. Juno Dawson has managed to create a community and a vision for the future and a guide on how to be a powerful, supportive woman in a world which wants us to stay down, on our backs and in the kitchen where we belong. She tackles complex social issues in frankly a funny AF way. This series had me laughing out loud, while also crying multiple times in this final installment. Pick this up if you want a witty, fast-paced adventure with an EPIC conclusion. How she thought out that last 30% is beyond me. So incredible.
Girl power is fucking magic.
August 22, 2025
I really liked the first book, I liked the second one, and so I was really excited to read the last one, so much so that I ordered it as soon as it came out!
It started well, with , something I was expecting since book 1! I was glad to
But, as I progressed into the novel, I felt something going wrong and I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I felt like the author, contrary to what she did in the previous volumes, was completely rubbing my nose in the ideas she developed from book to book with more subtlety. I don't need to be convinced, I just wanted to get back to these characters and to HMRC and Diaspora. There were sentences that made me cringe, because they didn't need to be there: the reader is intelligent enough to get what the author is doing without her explaining it or making it more obvious, putting it into words. Plus, I had the impression that the author's voice came into the narration, parasiting the tone of the story, using words and expressions that made me glimpse the human being behind the book I was holding. And it was so vulgar: I have nothing against that, but it felt way more so than in the first two books.
Because of that, the more I read, the more I felt detached from the book and the characters, even the ones I loved. It's not that I didn't care what happened to them, it's that it didn't matter as much to me as in the first and second books, where I was really invested.
I ended up disliking the ending:
Finally, for the first time, I discovered multiple errors in the text itself, not due to the author, but to the editing. For a book this expensive, it was disappointing too.
So, I felt let down by this ending, despite loving the world the author created. I didn't believe in the story - and, mostly, the ending -, I felt estranged from the characters and it felt like the book was trying to give me an explicit lesson I didn't need or ask for on feminism, intersectionality and climate change.
It started well, with , something I was expecting since book 1! I was glad to
But, as I progressed into the novel, I felt something going wrong and I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I felt like the author, contrary to what she did in the previous volumes, was completely rubbing my nose in the ideas she developed from book to book with more subtlety. I don't need to be convinced, I just wanted to get back to these characters and to HMRC and Diaspora. There were sentences that made me cringe, because they didn't need to be there: the reader is intelligent enough to get what the author is doing without her explaining it or making it more obvious, putting it into words. Plus, I had the impression that the author's voice came into the narration, parasiting the tone of the story, using words and expressions that made me glimpse the human being behind the book I was holding. And it was so vulgar: I have nothing against that, but it felt way more so than in the first two books.
Because of that, the more I read, the more I felt detached from the book and the characters, even the ones I loved. It's not that I didn't care what happened to them, it's that it didn't matter as much to me as in the first and second books, where I was really invested.
I ended up disliking the ending:
Finally, for the first time, I discovered multiple errors in the text itself, not due to the author, but to the editing. For a book this expensive, it was disappointing too.
So, I felt let down by this ending, despite loving the world the author created. I didn't believe in the story - and, mostly, the ending -, I felt estranged from the characters and it felt like the book was trying to give me an explicit lesson I didn't need or ask for on feminism, intersectionality and climate change.
August 1, 2025
Devoured this in two days. While some are saying it's a little choppy, Dawson needed to wrap up 500 storylines at once. I wish we had gotten more of Elle in this one, ultimately she got a bit of a short shrift, but the focus on womanhood, queerness, female rage, girl power, and the power in the connection of women was VERY prevalent and lovely.
June 25, 2025
Thank you so much Harper Collins UK & Netgalley for the arc!
„She was bloated on a thousand swallowed words. She'd bottled it for so, so long but it was time to release it: her rage.“
looming apocalypse
witches vs Satanis
time travel
female rage
trans & intersex witches
What's going on:
Niamh is back from the dead, but brought back an unwelcome hitchhiker. Luke turned out to be a witchfinder and is missing, while Ciara is rotting in a prison for witches. Elle is mourning her son, who turned out to be Lucifer, and Leonie is in for a shocking surprise.
Theo has the opportunity to save her family from Satanis but it would mean sacrificing humanity.
What I liked:
All that happened in the series was so well connected and the open plots were tied up neatly. Especially the time travel parts helped to really understand the impact of all the little decisions previously made. I also loved to get glimpses into the timelines of previous witches millennia ago, back to the very first witches.
What I didn’t like:
I missed that the girls never really got the time to talk through everything that happened, especially Niamh and Ciara. So many things happened to them individually, that were part of the bigger picture, but the others never got to know.
„She was bloated on a thousand swallowed words. She'd bottled it for so, so long but it was time to release it: her rage.“
looming apocalypse
witches vs Satanis
time travel
female rage
trans & intersex witches
What's going on:
Niamh is back from the dead, but brought back an unwelcome hitchhiker. Luke turned out to be a witchfinder and is missing, while Ciara is rotting in a prison for witches. Elle is mourning her son, who turned out to be Lucifer, and Leonie is in for a shocking surprise.
Theo has the opportunity to save her family from Satanis but it would mean sacrificing humanity.
What I liked:
All that happened in the series was so well connected and the open plots were tied up neatly. Especially the time travel parts helped to really understand the impact of all the little decisions previously made. I also loved to get glimpses into the timelines of previous witches millennia ago, back to the very first witches.
What I didn’t like:
I missed that the girls never really got the time to talk through everything that happened, especially Niamh and Ciara. So many things happened to them individually, that were part of the bigger picture, but the others never got to know.
November 18, 2025
An epic conclusion to the trilogy!
The stakes are higher than ever in this third book of 'Her Majesty's Royal Coven' series, a wild ride of girl power and female rage.
The story is action packed as we follow our witches in their attempt to prevent the end of the world. I enjoyed the fast pace but I felt that the action never stopped long enough for the characters to process what was happening, I wish there’d been more quiet moments for them to talk through their feelings.
There were many twists and turns, which I admit were fun but at one point I thought I couldn’t take many more revelations 😅 I felt as if the author tried to include every epic trope and twist available in the history of literature. In addition to that, the plot from the second half of the book was too 'deus ex machina' for my taste.
My only other criticism is that to me it felt arbitrary which characters had a redemption arc and which ones stayed the 'bad guys' after the conclusion, even when their crimes had been similar.
Apart from that, the ending was satisfying and the author tied all the loose end neatly. If you enjoyed the first two books you'll definitely like this one!
Thanks to HarperVoyager via NetGalley for providing an eARC
The stakes are higher than ever in this third book of 'Her Majesty's Royal Coven' series, a wild ride of girl power and female rage.
The story is action packed as we follow our witches in their attempt to prevent the end of the world. I enjoyed the fast pace but I felt that the action never stopped long enough for the characters to process what was happening, I wish there’d been more quiet moments for them to talk through their feelings.
There were many twists and turns, which I admit were fun but at one point I thought I couldn’t take many more revelations 😅 I felt as if the author tried to include every epic trope and twist available in the history of literature. In addition to that, the plot from the second half of the book was too 'deus ex machina' for my taste.
My only other criticism is that to me it felt arbitrary which characters had a redemption arc and which ones stayed the 'bad guys' after the conclusion, even when their crimes had been similar.
Apart from that, the ending was satisfying and the author tied all the loose end neatly. If you enjoyed the first two books you'll definitely like this one!
Thanks to HarperVoyager via NetGalley for providing an eARC
August 16, 2025
To quote our dear Lorde and savior: Baby, What Was That? And why the fuck did our Desperate Housewives turn into the members of Umbrella Academy?
I think I’m slowly realizing that I don’t like time travel and alternative timelines/realities. I also don’t remember any foreshadowing relating to the fact that time travel was possible.
Furthermore, I don’t think Queen B brought anything particularly relevant to the narrative, that cash grab novella really didn’t need to exist. Speaking of things that didn’t need to exist: Ciara’s death. I liked her epilogue, but I am really disappointed that she died, especially after being underused throughout the majority of the novel. Elle showed hints of an interesting character development, but it wasn’t explored in any depth that would warrant a compliment.
Finally, I think it’s in poor taste, especially considering how performatively woke and inclusive this trilogy is, that saving the world ultimately required a pro-life approach. Not only was Leonie first violated and impregnated by Gaia (whose actions were never questioned by the way), she was then was guilted into not having an abortion by her daughter from the future because otherwise “they’re fucked”…Even Lucifer asked for more consent before possessing people.
I think I’m slowly realizing that I don’t like time travel and alternative timelines/realities. I also don’t remember any foreshadowing relating to the fact that time travel was possible.
Furthermore, I don’t think Queen B brought anything particularly relevant to the narrative, that cash grab novella really didn’t need to exist. Speaking of things that didn’t need to exist: Ciara’s death. I liked her epilogue, but I am really disappointed that she died, especially after being underused throughout the majority of the novel. Elle showed hints of an interesting character development, but it wasn’t explored in any depth that would warrant a compliment.
Finally, I think it’s in poor taste, especially considering how performatively woke and inclusive this trilogy is, that saving the world ultimately required a pro-life approach. Not only was Leonie first violated and impregnated by Gaia (whose actions were never questioned by the way), she was then was guilted into not having an abortion by her daughter from the future because otherwise “they’re fucked”…Even Lucifer asked for more consent before possessing people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2025
This was still a good book - but it wasn't a great book and didn't reach the standard of previous two books in the trilogy. I still enjoyed it and the characters were wonderful but I had a lot of issues with it.
The first half of this book felt like it was wrapping up a lot of the plot threads started in the other two books and just going "oh this doesn't actually matter". It makes me wonder if the author changed her mind about what should happen in the book as it just felt like sooo many plot threads were just tied up in a very quick way that felt like they were kind of pointless. The pacing overall was very mixed as whilst the first half was much too slow, then the last half of the book moved so fast and we spent not enough time on the action and plot of the book and emotional fall out of that.
This book also doesn't have the same coherent political themes as the other two books. Her Majesty's Royal Coven was all about women fighting each other and how the patriarchy sets us against each other with a major weapon of that being transphobia. The Shadow Cabinet was all about women fighting against men and how the men weaponise the patriarchy to use against us and violence men perpetrate against women. This one didn't have a clear theme and I really missed that feminism and political commentary.
In the same way that the title of this book doesn't quite fit the other two - stepping away from the twist on the names of government branches - Human Rites feels like a step away from some of what made Her Majesty's Royal Coven series great and it's not a seamless fit with the previous two books in this trilogy. The character arcs are largely satisfying and I enjoyed the character development, but the ending felt like it moved at warp speed with a deus ex machina plot device that took away from the original characters a bit. I do have a few very long and spoilery rants about certain plot points that I'll be dropping after the release day (seriously I've got another 1000 words to drop once this is out - whoops!).
Overall too much time was spent redirecting the story from the place The Shadow Cabinet had left it in and tying up abandoned plot threads in the first half of the book that too little time was spent on the actual action and plot of the book. This is definitely the weakest book in the series, but despite this I did enjoy it whilst I was reading it and the characters are the highlight of this whole series.
Thank you to HarperVoyager for a proof copy of this book!
The first half of this book felt like it was wrapping up a lot of the plot threads started in the other two books and just going "oh this doesn't actually matter". It makes me wonder if the author changed her mind about what should happen in the book as it just felt like sooo many plot threads were just tied up in a very quick way that felt like they were kind of pointless. The pacing overall was very mixed as whilst the first half was much too slow, then the last half of the book moved so fast and we spent not enough time on the action and plot of the book and emotional fall out of that.
This book also doesn't have the same coherent political themes as the other two books. Her Majesty's Royal Coven was all about women fighting each other and how the patriarchy sets us against each other with a major weapon of that being transphobia. The Shadow Cabinet was all about women fighting against men and how the men weaponise the patriarchy to use against us and violence men perpetrate against women. This one didn't have a clear theme and I really missed that feminism and political commentary.
In the same way that the title of this book doesn't quite fit the other two - stepping away from the twist on the names of government branches - Human Rites feels like a step away from some of what made Her Majesty's Royal Coven series great and it's not a seamless fit with the previous two books in this trilogy. The character arcs are largely satisfying and I enjoyed the character development, but the ending felt like it moved at warp speed with a deus ex machina plot device that took away from the original characters a bit. I do have a few very long and spoilery rants about certain plot points that I'll be dropping after the release day (seriously I've got another 1000 words to drop once this is out - whoops!).
Overall too much time was spent redirecting the story from the place The Shadow Cabinet had left it in and tying up abandoned plot threads in the first half of the book that too little time was spent on the actual action and plot of the book. This is definitely the weakest book in the series, but despite this I did enjoy it whilst I was reading it and the characters are the highlight of this whole series.
Thank you to HarperVoyager for a proof copy of this book!
July 3, 2025
sigh. this wasn't... bad per se? i just think that the strong point of this series has ALWAYS been its plot, and here it leaned too much on relationships that (while important + developed) were never the focal point of the series enough for this to work. SO much of this story revolves around how niamh, ciara, leonie, and elle (and even helena) love and would do anything for each other. i was reading my old reviews of this series and i noted that while they were friends there was much more show than tell... but more on that in the spoilers section.
some of my issues with this book (particularly in terms of last minute lore, which i hate) MAY be chalked up to the breaks between reading each of them but still.
SPOILERY STUFF AHEAD:
there were a LOT of storylines left unresolved here. helena/snow WAS resolved until snow came back into it just to... die? that was not great planning. the leonie/senait/chinara/time travel thing was not really well executed either imo -- there were about 20 pages in the novel that would have allowed you to put the pieces together than senait is a time traveller is leonie's daughter BUT nothing that would have warned of leone and chinara time traveling and staying on aeaea for 22 years.
furthermore -- they were gaia's chosen soldiers because they loved each other the most??? i feel like (as complicated and sucky as she was), they would not have killed helena if that was true. and niamh discussed SOME regret but... truly not a lot. and the rest of them, none at all. just very odd.
finally i did like theo's ending bc she deserved only good things. i'm glad that she got to be happy, but i wish there had been a little more damage done to the world at whole beyond ciara sort of not realy dying and going to (her) heaven. that's all!
some of my issues with this book (particularly in terms of last minute lore, which i hate) MAY be chalked up to the breaks between reading each of them but still.
SPOILERY STUFF AHEAD:
there were a LOT of storylines left unresolved here. helena/snow WAS resolved until snow came back into it just to... die? that was not great planning. the leonie/senait/chinara/time travel thing was not really well executed either imo -- there were about 20 pages in the novel that would have allowed you to put the pieces together than senait is a time traveller is leonie's daughter BUT nothing that would have warned of leone and chinara time traveling and staying on aeaea for 22 years.
furthermore -- they were gaia's chosen soldiers because they loved each other the most??? i feel like (as complicated and sucky as she was), they would not have killed helena if that was true. and niamh discussed SOME regret but... truly not a lot. and the rest of them, none at all. just very odd.
finally i did like theo's ending bc she deserved only good things. i'm glad that she got to be happy, but i wish there had been a little more damage done to the world at whole beyond ciara sort of not realy dying and going to (her) heaven. that's all!
April 14, 2025
A somewhat satisfying conclusion to the ‘Her Majesty’s Royal Coven’ trilogy. If you’ve made it this far, you know what to expect in terms of pop culture references and sarcastic millennial women with posh sensibilities.
At this point in the series there was so much ground to cover and so many POVs that it all felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. Elle’s storyline felt especially sparse which was disappointing because it was really promising! Snow’s storyline was a similar let down. There was also no ideological ‘bad guy’ like the first two, so the central threat felt a lot weaker.
Everything was wrapped up nicely and as usual it was a quick and entertaining read, but this is the weakest instalment of this trilogy unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC
At this point in the series there was so much ground to cover and so many POVs that it all felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. Elle’s storyline felt especially sparse which was disappointing because it was really promising! Snow’s storyline was a similar let down. There was also no ideological ‘bad guy’ like the first two, so the central threat felt a lot weaker.
Everything was wrapped up nicely and as usual it was a quick and entertaining read, but this is the weakest instalment of this trilogy unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC
November 8, 2025
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
An epic conclusion to a fun trilogy, if I had one word to describe Human Rites it would be feminine. It's a story of female friendships, female rage and the link between women and nature. I've never read a series that so perfectly captures female friendships from childhood to womanhood. All of the main characters are fully faceted, interesting women with back stories and a life that intertwines with being a witch. They all feel real, but I was especially taken by Niamh and Ciara, identical twins who take a different path in life, ultimately leading to some big life choices and mistakes. Ciara's story is about redemption and forgiveness. For herself and also all those people who she wronged, and also wronged her. She's a delightfully complicated character, on the surface so strong yet desperate for love - especially from her twin, who she's still so jealous of.
After the shock twists and turns of The Shadow Cabinet, the plot in Human Rites doesn't let up on the action front with all of the Hebden Bridge witches having to face some major life (and death) decisions before an ultimate showdown with Satanis. I do think this took a major convoluted, timey wimey, Deus ex machina type path towards the end, and it felt a little overly complicated however the careful way each of the characters were developed helped to keep the plot from getting too carried away with itself.
An inclusive, magical time with women characters who feel like women I know and love. Highly recommend.
An epic conclusion to a fun trilogy, if I had one word to describe Human Rites it would be feminine. It's a story of female friendships, female rage and the link between women and nature. I've never read a series that so perfectly captures female friendships from childhood to womanhood. All of the main characters are fully faceted, interesting women with back stories and a life that intertwines with being a witch. They all feel real, but I was especially taken by Niamh and Ciara, identical twins who take a different path in life, ultimately leading to some big life choices and mistakes. Ciara's story is about redemption and forgiveness. For herself and also all those people who she wronged, and also wronged her. She's a delightfully complicated character, on the surface so strong yet desperate for love - especially from her twin, who she's still so jealous of.
After the shock twists and turns of The Shadow Cabinet, the plot in Human Rites doesn't let up on the action front with all of the Hebden Bridge witches having to face some major life (and death) decisions before an ultimate showdown with Satanis. I do think this took a major convoluted, timey wimey, Deus ex machina type path towards the end, and it felt a little overly complicated however the careful way each of the characters were developed helped to keep the plot from getting too carried away with itself.
An inclusive, magical time with women characters who feel like women I know and love. Highly recommend.
Read
September 3, 2025#Gifted
The third and final installment in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series.
I read this on audio as I usually do with these books, because Nicola Coughlan is the narrator, and she is INCREDIBLE. All the accents, demon voices etc. She’s wonderful.
We pick up directly where the last book ended. The coven is still somehow together and fan-fave Niamh has been brought back from the dead. Her twin sister Ciara is in prison, while the other witches in their group reel from a series of shocking life events.
Lucifer has decided now is the time to destroy the world, and settles on witch fledgling Theo to help him.
Obviously the coven will fight back, but it will be a battle of epic proportions which not everyone will survive..
I’ll start by saying I’m not the target audience for anything too fantasy-ish. This is purely because I struggle with remembering all the lore, the various different names of characters and so on.
That said, these books are rooted in our reality, including lots of pop culture references, which I love (especially the many nods to Buffy). I also feel very fondly towards these characters now, and when I tell you I SOBBED during this one! Not able.
As always with the HMRC series, there’s incredible LGBTQIA+ representation. These stories often feel like a warm hug, especially considering the stance the author of another popular witchy series has chosen to take on trans rights (I’m never not side-eyeing you, Joanne).
I did get a bit lost occasionally with some of the time jumping but overall I really enjoyed this addition to the series. And that ending. Perfect.
If you love this series, I think you’ll be delighted with the trilogy finale. An epic read. Recommend!
With many thanks @harpercollinsire for my copy. All opinions are my own, as always. Human Rites is available to buy now.
The third and final installment in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series.
I read this on audio as I usually do with these books, because Nicola Coughlan is the narrator, and she is INCREDIBLE. All the accents, demon voices etc. She’s wonderful.
We pick up directly where the last book ended. The coven is still somehow together and fan-fave Niamh has been brought back from the dead. Her twin sister Ciara is in prison, while the other witches in their group reel from a series of shocking life events.
Lucifer has decided now is the time to destroy the world, and settles on witch fledgling Theo to help him.
Obviously the coven will fight back, but it will be a battle of epic proportions which not everyone will survive..
I’ll start by saying I’m not the target audience for anything too fantasy-ish. This is purely because I struggle with remembering all the lore, the various different names of characters and so on.
That said, these books are rooted in our reality, including lots of pop culture references, which I love (especially the many nods to Buffy). I also feel very fondly towards these characters now, and when I tell you I SOBBED during this one! Not able.
As always with the HMRC series, there’s incredible LGBTQIA+ representation. These stories often feel like a warm hug, especially considering the stance the author of another popular witchy series has chosen to take on trans rights (I’m never not side-eyeing you, Joanne).
I did get a bit lost occasionally with some of the time jumping but overall I really enjoyed this addition to the series. And that ending. Perfect.
If you love this series, I think you’ll be delighted with the trilogy finale. An epic read. Recommend!
With many thanks @harpercollinsire for my copy. All opinions are my own, as always. Human Rites is available to buy now.
July 6, 2025
Human Rites is a heartfelt, fast-paced and powerful goodbye to our Hebden Bridge witches. The long anticipated finale to the Her Majesty's Royal Coven series was, in my opinion, how you go out with a bang.
There were a few elements that felt a little rushed or abrupt but then again there was a lot to cover to tie up all of the character arcs from the multi-povs. All of the characters stepped into their own power or levelled up in some way by confronting their past traumas and choosing their futures.
I really loved the sense of sisterhood, the celebration of enduring female friendship, the representation of found families and the central thread of unconditional love and acceptance. There's a sense of gritty reality to the writing style which can feel a little harsh in places but also makes the characters feel more truthful and unapologetically who they are. This makes the dynamics between them stronger as, in this book more than ever, they need to rely on and believe in each other to defeat their biggest threat yet and, to do so, they need to understand each other and their part to play in the battle between ancient entities.
Prophecies, huge stakes, uniting covens and facing your own demons. What more could you ask for? A very satisfying and unexpected conclusion to the trilogy.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
There were a few elements that felt a little rushed or abrupt but then again there was a lot to cover to tie up all of the character arcs from the multi-povs. All of the characters stepped into their own power or levelled up in some way by confronting their past traumas and choosing their futures.
I really loved the sense of sisterhood, the celebration of enduring female friendship, the representation of found families and the central thread of unconditional love and acceptance. There's a sense of gritty reality to the writing style which can feel a little harsh in places but also makes the characters feel more truthful and unapologetically who they are. This makes the dynamics between them stronger as, in this book more than ever, they need to rely on and believe in each other to defeat their biggest threat yet and, to do so, they need to understand each other and their part to play in the battle between ancient entities.
Prophecies, huge stakes, uniting covens and facing your own demons. What more could you ask for? A very satisfying and unexpected conclusion to the trilogy.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2025
yet another emotional rollercoaster, as juno dawson does not spare anyone’s feelings. i discovered this series thanks to the audiobooks read by nicola coughlan (🫶🏻) and i loved the first chapters so much i decided to stop listening and buy physical copies of the books because i needed to hold the books in my hands. this series confirmed how much i love fantasy as a genre and, although this last book is maybe not a 5 star read, i can’t help but be extremely grateful for all the beauty it has brought. reading a book set in the city where you’ve chosen to spend your adult life hits differently. why am i getting so emotional????
September 2, 2025
What a way to end one of my favorite fantasy series ever 😭👏🏼 this was such an epic conclusion!!
These characters will forever live on in my heart now 🥺
These characters will forever live on in my heart now 🥺
April 29, 2025
Thank you so much to Harper Insider and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review!
What an epic conclusion to one of my favourite series! I never want to leave these characters and this world - I feel so connected to them, and like they're actually real people. This felt like the perfect ending for these characters and their stories, and this entire series embodies the meaning of sisterhood and friendship, and I think it's so beautiful. This installment is non-stop from the get-go, as our gang of witches tries to stop evil from taking over the world, and I found myself completely shocked at so many points throughout this with what was going on. Every POV in this book felt so well done and well-written, with each character incredibly complex and you find yourself feeling so much for each of them. This is just one of my favourite series, I can't recommend it enough.
What an epic conclusion to one of my favourite series! I never want to leave these characters and this world - I feel so connected to them, and like they're actually real people. This felt like the perfect ending for these characters and their stories, and this entire series embodies the meaning of sisterhood and friendship, and I think it's so beautiful. This installment is non-stop from the get-go, as our gang of witches tries to stop evil from taking over the world, and I found myself completely shocked at so many points throughout this with what was going on. Every POV in this book felt so well done and well-written, with each character incredibly complex and you find yourself feeling so much for each of them. This is just one of my favourite series, I can't recommend it enough.
December 10, 2025
this was such a stunning book, oh my god. i genuinely loved this book so much because the way the author brought in old plot points, and made things make sense, and connected all the dots?? chef's kiss. and can we talk about the character growth literally everyone experienced?? and the way this book felt like such a woman power moment?? ugh, it was too good. i am so sad this series is over but it's ok because i NEED to do a reread so i can catch all the things i know i missed.
November 12, 2025
Sigh…
I’m really waffling on the rating here because the more I think about it, the more disappointed I feel. Spoilers abound, read at your own peril…
- Massively disappointing misuse of Snow’s character here. It didn’t even feel like as much of a red herring as a complete missed opportunity for a truly compelling villain for this third book. Could have bookended the trilogy with a nuanced “does the child carry the sins of the mother, or can you be redeemed by the power or sisterly love?” type shit but no…just have her become giga-powerful and then snapped in half by a demon in the first act.
- Theo just was the Sullied Child all along??? So Helena was just…correct?? This completely retcons the message of the first book I fear.
- If Theo is the Sullied Child, the much needed vessel for Leviathan, how come she just *poof* swaps places with Ciara at the 11th hour? It all means nothing if Ciara can just so easily take her place. And does this truly redeem Ciara in the end? I’m not convinced.
- The whole Leonie getting impregnated by Gaia plot line left a nasty taste in my mouth. At no point did Leonie know that her weird, freaky sex dream would result in a real-life pregnancy so, to me, this read as completely non-consensual. Add-in the whole “this baby is a gift from Gaia” stuff and we’re crossing the line into some murky pro-life politics that feels completely at odds with Leonie’s character up to this point. The power dynamics here are out of whack and it feels especially weird that a pregnancy would befall the one character who is most outspoken about her hesitancy towards having children. That choice, and the control over her body, was completely taken away from her and it’s never discussed in any meaningful way.
- Luke might as well have not even been written in for all the nothing he added to this story. If he’s going to take up space on the precious page count, at least give him something to do besides moping and thinking about the penance he owes women for being a straight, cis-man.
- Overall, the stories of every character in the story feel underbaked. I think this boils down to the massive scope of the plot and the time travel element doesn’t do it any favors. Weird because I felt like the previous 2 books did a pretty good job of balancing the plot beats with the individual characters’ growth. Here I felt like the stories would start and stop with each new chapter instead of flowing seamlessly into one another.
- I actually liked the whole “Senait is actually their daughter” thing - it felt very River and The Doctor (iykyk). However…I think the time travel aspect over-complicated things and made the pacing a bit jerky. I could sense the bones of a good plot device, it just needed a longer simmer to really get there.
- To borrow a phrase from the author, the millennial cringe was…millennial cringing. But hey, a bonus point for getting the term “lesbian bed death” correct on the second try.
On the whole, I think a lot of my issues here boil down to the breakneck pace of the publishing industry. There are so many aspects here that remind me of what I loved about the previous installments, but I fear scope creep and the punishing timeline of capitalism has resulted in a half-baked finale that leaves me wanting more.
I’m really waffling on the rating here because the more I think about it, the more disappointed I feel. Spoilers abound, read at your own peril…
- Massively disappointing misuse of Snow’s character here. It didn’t even feel like as much of a red herring as a complete missed opportunity for a truly compelling villain for this third book. Could have bookended the trilogy with a nuanced “does the child carry the sins of the mother, or can you be redeemed by the power or sisterly love?” type shit but no…just have her become giga-powerful and then snapped in half by a demon in the first act.
- Theo just was the Sullied Child all along??? So Helena was just…correct?? This completely retcons the message of the first book I fear.
- If Theo is the Sullied Child, the much needed vessel for Leviathan, how come she just *poof* swaps places with Ciara at the 11th hour? It all means nothing if Ciara can just so easily take her place. And does this truly redeem Ciara in the end? I’m not convinced.
- The whole Leonie getting impregnated by Gaia plot line left a nasty taste in my mouth. At no point did Leonie know that her weird, freaky sex dream would result in a real-life pregnancy so, to me, this read as completely non-consensual. Add-in the whole “this baby is a gift from Gaia” stuff and we’re crossing the line into some murky pro-life politics that feels completely at odds with Leonie’s character up to this point. The power dynamics here are out of whack and it feels especially weird that a pregnancy would befall the one character who is most outspoken about her hesitancy towards having children. That choice, and the control over her body, was completely taken away from her and it’s never discussed in any meaningful way.
- Luke might as well have not even been written in for all the nothing he added to this story. If he’s going to take up space on the precious page count, at least give him something to do besides moping and thinking about the penance he owes women for being a straight, cis-man.
- Overall, the stories of every character in the story feel underbaked. I think this boils down to the massive scope of the plot and the time travel element doesn’t do it any favors. Weird because I felt like the previous 2 books did a pretty good job of balancing the plot beats with the individual characters’ growth. Here I felt like the stories would start and stop with each new chapter instead of flowing seamlessly into one another.
- I actually liked the whole “Senait is actually their daughter” thing - it felt very River and The Doctor (iykyk). However…I think the time travel aspect over-complicated things and made the pacing a bit jerky. I could sense the bones of a good plot device, it just needed a longer simmer to really get there.
- To borrow a phrase from the author, the millennial cringe was…millennial cringing. But hey, a bonus point for getting the term “lesbian bed death” correct on the second try.
On the whole, I think a lot of my issues here boil down to the breakneck pace of the publishing industry. There are so many aspects here that remind me of what I loved about the previous installments, but I fear scope creep and the punishing timeline of capitalism has resulted in a half-baked finale that leaves me wanting more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2025
Juno Dawson has one of the wildest, quirkiest, sublime imaginations ever. Well, one of the two I have ever encountered. Each book of the Trilogy has been imaginative, with book 2 exceeding book one and leaving you at the end with an idea of where this was all going. Book 3 tops them all in every single way. Just when I thought I was numb to the unexpected - as in the unexpected was expected - my jaw hit the floor and I nearly fell off the couch.
What a wild ride! I am not going to say much --- you just have to experience it but it does take you ultimately to a war to save the earth from The Leviathan which is the demons Satan, Belial and Leviathan combined, whose sole goal is to destroy in one feel swoop humankind and the earth - not just gain control of the witches. While this is fantasy at its wildest, it is also at its core good vs. evil. It also addresses all those gender and ethnic hatred issues so evident today. Men's fear of women having power is of course front and center as it was in the V. 2. But also, there is the very personal human individual challenges and emotional growth of each of our witches -- forgiveness, love, taking on responsibility, owning your power and weaknesses.
Enjoyable as this was, it has a few weaknesses in my eyes. First, for all the action and twists and thrills and chills, it drags at times. While the last chapters are essentially an epilogue that ties it all up and gives a solid complete ending, she didn't really need to drop yet another shocker -- wonderful as it was - in the last couple of pages. Of course, that is also who Juno Dawson is. Also, it's a book for Millenials written by a Millenial - there are so many pop references suitable to those who came of age in the 90s (the main characters are in their 30s in this trilogy which is set in contemporary times, as recent as last year), it's going to date the book very fast IMHO. I'm a Baby Boomer and I had to google a LOT.
My last quibble - I read this in ebook - from Amazon - and it is filled with typos that a halfway decent proofreading would have picked up. I did use the 'report' feature frequently but it was extremely irritating. Think I'll send a note to the publisher.
You want a wild ride contemporary fantasy about witches, demons and saving the world? Read the Her Majesty's Secret Coven series.
What a wild ride! I am not going to say much --- you just have to experience it but it does take you ultimately to a war to save the earth from The Leviathan which is the demons Satan, Belial and Leviathan combined, whose sole goal is to destroy in one feel swoop humankind and the earth - not just gain control of the witches. While this is fantasy at its wildest, it is also at its core good vs. evil. It also addresses all those gender and ethnic hatred issues so evident today. Men's fear of women having power is of course front and center as it was in the V. 2. But also, there is the very personal human individual challenges and emotional growth of each of our witches -- forgiveness, love, taking on responsibility, owning your power and weaknesses.
Enjoyable as this was, it has a few weaknesses in my eyes. First, for all the action and twists and thrills and chills, it drags at times. While the last chapters are essentially an epilogue that ties it all up and gives a solid complete ending, she didn't really need to drop yet another shocker -- wonderful as it was - in the last couple of pages. Of course, that is also who Juno Dawson is. Also, it's a book for Millenials written by a Millenial - there are so many pop references suitable to those who came of age in the 90s (the main characters are in their 30s in this trilogy which is set in contemporary times, as recent as last year), it's going to date the book very fast IMHO. I'm a Baby Boomer and I had to google a LOT.
My last quibble - I read this in ebook - from Amazon - and it is filled with typos that a halfway decent proofreading would have picked up. I did use the 'report' feature frequently but it was extremely irritating. Think I'll send a note to the publisher.
You want a wild ride contemporary fantasy about witches, demons and saving the world? Read the Her Majesty's Secret Coven series.
August 5, 2025
An action packed and exciting conclusion to a brilliant trilogy following a girl gang of witches who are facing up against (another) end of the world scenario after already defeating a big band in their early twenties. Now in their late thirties, and dealing with cheating husbands, teenage children and mortgages, they have to face up to terfs, prophecies, witch hunters and demons who like to take over bodies to bring about hell on earth. Spice up your life and all that!
This was so much fun, and a great ending to a great trilogy. I love the female friendship and sisterhood, and really enjoyed and was touched by seeing how Juno Dawson wrote out the Niamh-Ciara storyline in this one. Juno has been great at bringing current events into her books from the trans/terf debate, manosphere via witch hunters and just what it's like generally being a woman in today's society. Despite some of the heavy themes, there's enough comedic moments to keep the story fun and light-hearted and this is a story heavily written for the 90s kids with Spice Girl references, Tamagotchi's galore. Some of this can be heavy handed a bit and there's the fear that it can date the novel but for once in this trilogy, I didn't mind the pop culture references as it just worked perfectly with the characters.
The start of this book did feel very fast as we are left reeling with the results of the cliff hanger from the second book, and we see how this turns out. And it felt like the months went by very fast, very quickly but it all geared up towards the big battle at the end which had everything from pirates, sea walkers, demons and time travel!
This was so much fun, and a great ending to a great trilogy. I love the female friendship and sisterhood, and really enjoyed and was touched by seeing how Juno Dawson wrote out the Niamh-Ciara storyline in this one. Juno has been great at bringing current events into her books from the trans/terf debate, manosphere via witch hunters and just what it's like generally being a woman in today's society. Despite some of the heavy themes, there's enough comedic moments to keep the story fun and light-hearted and this is a story heavily written for the 90s kids with Spice Girl references, Tamagotchi's galore. Some of this can be heavy handed a bit and there's the fear that it can date the novel but for once in this trilogy, I didn't mind the pop culture references as it just worked perfectly with the characters.
The start of this book did feel very fast as we are left reeling with the results of the cliff hanger from the second book, and we see how this turns out. And it felt like the months went by very fast, very quickly but it all geared up towards the big battle at the end which had everything from pirates, sea walkers, demons and time travel!
November 16, 2025
4 ⭐️ rounded up
The first book in this trilogy remains my favorite, but this was a satisfying conclusion. If you grew up with shows like Buffy and Charmed and have been looking for those vibes in book form, here you go. I think the closest comp I have is the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but if you were more focused on the whole coven. There is so much family mess, and bonkers stakes at the end, that I is just a fun ride. If you have been waiting for the whole trilogy to be out, then this is your reminder that the series is now complete.
I immersion read this series, and I would highly recommend the audiobook to any who are interested. It gives just the right amount of extra campy drama the story needs.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review via NetGalley.
The first book in this trilogy remains my favorite, but this was a satisfying conclusion. If you grew up with shows like Buffy and Charmed and have been looking for those vibes in book form, here you go. I think the closest comp I have is the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but if you were more focused on the whole coven. There is so much family mess, and bonkers stakes at the end, that I is just a fun ride. If you have been waiting for the whole trilogy to be out, then this is your reminder that the series is now complete.
I immersion read this series, and I would highly recommend the audiobook to any who are interested. It gives just the right amount of extra campy drama the story needs.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review via NetGalley.
December 18, 2025
• The Sullied Child would take him by the hand, and Leviathan will rise. •
♀️✨️🕯
Witchy Girlpower auf 500 Seiten - "Human Rites" war für mich sowohl das würdige Finale einer großartigen, empowering Reihe als auch das Buch, das mich mit seinen Längen und seiner großen Menge an PoVs in eine Lesedürre ungeahnten Ausmaßes gestoßen hat. Insofern habe ich gemischte Gefühle und denke bereits darüber nach, die Reihe mit etwas Abstand erneut zu lesen.
3,5 Sterne.
♀️✨️🕯
Witchy Girlpower auf 500 Seiten - "Human Rites" war für mich sowohl das würdige Finale einer großartigen, empowering Reihe als auch das Buch, das mich mit seinen Längen und seiner großen Menge an PoVs in eine Lesedürre ungeahnten Ausmaßes gestoßen hat. Insofern habe ich gemischte Gefühle und denke bereits darüber nach, die Reihe mit etwas Abstand erneut zu lesen.
3,5 Sterne.
September 12, 2025
This series was so much fun, and I think it would make a BOMB TV show. I really came to care for every character and the friendships in this book were everything! This series is a bit too plot forward for me to give it a full 5 stars as I’m more of a character driven reader, but I would recommend it wholeheartedly (especially for spooky season)!
November 6, 2025
4.25 stars
I really love this trilogy and thought this was a great ending. Some of the things that happened at the climax lost me a little but overall a satisfying end to the trilogy.
I really love this trilogy and thought this was a great ending. Some of the things that happened at the climax lost me a little but overall a satisfying end to the trilogy.
July 3, 2025
Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted eARC of this book!
I am, and always have been, a massive Juno Dawson fan. I have been ANXIOUSLY waiting for this book, and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint.
I won’t do an overview of the book, because if you’re interested in Human Rites, you likely have already read the preceding books in the HMRC world. So, let’s talk.
This book was a masterpiece. An absolute triumph. The world that Dawson has been able to build, and the things we are still learning about it at the conclusion of the tale…just astounding. I took a bit to really digest what I had read, so I could leave an entirely honest review, but my enthusiasm during reading has stuck with me, long past reading.
Most books have exposition, then rising action, then the climax, and descending action to conclusion. Human Rites rewrites all the rules here. The entire book is the climax, with a slightly longer conclusion. Every single chapter ended on a “WHAT?!? REALLY?!?” Like, just constanttttttttttttt action, and it’s all intentional.
I’ve seen some reviews that say the book felt rushed, but I didn’t actually feel that way - maybe because I was on an adrenaline high from reading and I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter, the pacing felt great for me. Juno Dawson has said that, for now, this IS the last book in the series. However, I could see opportunities for spin-offs that were left not “open-ended,” but were slightly leaning towards it. I feel really quite happy with the way the story ended.
Listen, if you’ve read the other HMRC books, just go buy this. Immediately. And then take some time off work to read.
I am, and always have been, a massive Juno Dawson fan. I have been ANXIOUSLY waiting for this book, and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint.
I won’t do an overview of the book, because if you’re interested in Human Rites, you likely have already read the preceding books in the HMRC world. So, let’s talk.
This book was a masterpiece. An absolute triumph. The world that Dawson has been able to build, and the things we are still learning about it at the conclusion of the tale…just astounding. I took a bit to really digest what I had read, so I could leave an entirely honest review, but my enthusiasm during reading has stuck with me, long past reading.
Most books have exposition, then rising action, then the climax, and descending action to conclusion. Human Rites rewrites all the rules here. The entire book is the climax, with a slightly longer conclusion. Every single chapter ended on a “WHAT?!? REALLY?!?” Like, just constanttttttttttttt action, and it’s all intentional.
I’ve seen some reviews that say the book felt rushed, but I didn’t actually feel that way - maybe because I was on an adrenaline high from reading and I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter, the pacing felt great for me. Juno Dawson has said that, for now, this IS the last book in the series. However, I could see opportunities for spin-offs that were left not “open-ended,” but were slightly leaning towards it. I feel really quite happy with the way the story ended.
Listen, if you’ve read the other HMRC books, just go buy this. Immediately. And then take some time off work to read.
April 23, 2025
How do I move on from this? 😭💜
Thank you so much El at Harper for this early copy - Human Rites (HMRC 3) by Juno Dawson is out in the UK on the 17th of July from Harper Voyager ✨
Human Rites kicks off near enough straight after that insane cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Shadow Cabinet. Obviously I can't go into much detail as this is the third and concluding part of a series.
This book is a wild ride!! It was literally non-stop from page one. The witches are once again trying to stop the forces of evil from ending the world. The twists and turns had me gasping out loud. Even though every HMRC book has been high stakes this one felt like it was on another level entirely.
I always love the humour within these books. With the books mainly set in the North West I loved call outs to places I recognise, the comment about the GMEX had me cackling. I love Hebden Bridge and am dying to go back now, it truly does feel like a magical place.
I think Ciara is still my favourite character, she's so well written and this book very much solidified my love for her. Any passages mentioning Annie had me in tears! Senait's back story reveal was brilliantly done and unexpected, it took the narrative in a direction I truly wasn't expecting and I loved every second of it.
Juno has this insane talent of being able to make you snort laugh one second and sob so hard the next. Her writing is so effortless to read. Human Rites is a satisfying and epic conclusion to an absolutely incredible series. To read a book like this in the times we are currently living in feels strange but ultimately hopeful, this book feels like a call to arms and a message of love in such a dark time, it screams you are not alone as the witches of Hebden wrap their arms around you.
Thank you so much El at Harper for this early copy - Human Rites (HMRC 3) by Juno Dawson is out in the UK on the 17th of July from Harper Voyager ✨
Human Rites kicks off near enough straight after that insane cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Shadow Cabinet. Obviously I can't go into much detail as this is the third and concluding part of a series.
This book is a wild ride!! It was literally non-stop from page one. The witches are once again trying to stop the forces of evil from ending the world. The twists and turns had me gasping out loud. Even though every HMRC book has been high stakes this one felt like it was on another level entirely.
I always love the humour within these books. With the books mainly set in the North West I loved call outs to places I recognise, the comment about the GMEX had me cackling. I love Hebden Bridge and am dying to go back now, it truly does feel like a magical place.
I think Ciara is still my favourite character, she's so well written and this book very much solidified my love for her. Any passages mentioning Annie had me in tears! Senait's back story reveal was brilliantly done and unexpected, it took the narrative in a direction I truly wasn't expecting and I loved every second of it.
Juno has this insane talent of being able to make you snort laugh one second and sob so hard the next. Her writing is so effortless to read. Human Rites is a satisfying and epic conclusion to an absolutely incredible series. To read a book like this in the times we are currently living in feels strange but ultimately hopeful, this book feels like a call to arms and a message of love in such a dark time, it screams you are not alone as the witches of Hebden wrap their arms around you.
April 25, 2025
Thank you so much to Harper Collins for approving me to read this early, it’s obviously a 5 star book - I’d rate it higher if I could.
I started this trilogy on Monday and fell inlove with the magic, characters and chaos. I’m literally crying that it’s over, the whole thing blew my mind. I wanted to swear there and say it blew my effing mind because well the book characters swore like builders on site so it feels appropriate.
This trilogy has come to an end and it was an amazing ride, book 3 is incredible. The multi POV was done brilliantly linking every path the story diverted to and making it coherent. The prophecy came to a head in the most insane and crushing way, but each characters conclusion is super satisfying and I loved it.
Feel like I’m going to be in such a reading slump after this, how do I move on.
I started this trilogy on Monday and fell inlove with the magic, characters and chaos. I’m literally crying that it’s over, the whole thing blew my mind. I wanted to swear there and say it blew my effing mind because well the book characters swore like builders on site so it feels appropriate.
This trilogy has come to an end and it was an amazing ride, book 3 is incredible. The multi POV was done brilliantly linking every path the story diverted to and making it coherent. The prophecy came to a head in the most insane and crushing way, but each characters conclusion is super satisfying and I loved it.
Feel like I’m going to be in such a reading slump after this, how do I move on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews