A review by ramunepocky
Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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

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

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

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

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

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