Human Rites by Juno Dawson is the conclusion of the Her Majesty's Royal Coven trilogy and after the build up of HRMC and The Shadow Cabinet, Human Rites does not disappoint! We pick up right where Shadow Cabinet left off and see the ways Niamh, Ciara, Elle, Leonie, and the rest of our favorite witches respond to Lucifer's rise and try to prevent the apocalypse. Things have to get worse before they get better and at times it was a little slow going and confusing trying to keep track of past and present and all of the demons, but once everything was set for the final battle, I was captivated. The stakes were so high and as much as you want everything to be okay, you just know that sacrifices will have to be made and the question is which sacrifices. I loved the celebration of love in all forms, the exploration of free will and destiny, and a challenging but satisfying ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for an eARC of this book!

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.

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.

"Human Rites" by Juno Dawson is the final installment in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series. Like its predecessors, this book is incredibly witty, fast-paced, and adventurous. Dawson thoughtfully addresses intersectionality and ensures that representation is richly reflected in this modern-day tale. The power structures and political elements in the story mirror our own real-life struggles.

A few things to note: Dawson includes a cast of characters and their roles from the previous books, which is helpful since I read the earlier installments over a year ago. Rereading the past books wasn't necessary because the author does an excellent job of refreshing your memory, keeping readers informed about the complicated and involved storyline while making it easy to follow. The narrative felt almost cinematic, reminiscent of watching a blockbuster movie.

Dawson also delivers elements I didn't even know I wanted. I highly recommend this read. There’s so much to appreciate, including the beautiful cover design, inclusivity, and the intelligent, well-structured plot with an engaging cast of characters. It exceeded my expectations. Thank you to Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I love getting my hands on the finale of a series, the delicious delight of finding out how things are wrapped up, who lives and dies and loves happily ever after; this is quickly followed by the I miss (list of favorite main characters) already and that's before I even look past the cover. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two plus (the prequel novella) books of this series, so I had been looking forward to this conclusion. From the initial title reveal, I wondered if it was a nod to the late great Terry Pratchett (since the first Discworld witches book is titled Equal Rites), and the epigraph of this book makes it more clear. Passed the epigraph, we get a refresher of who's who, much as in The Shadow Cabinet. And, the story starts (as usual) with a flashback chapter, then picks up where the prior book left off. In this action packed drama we deal with sibling rivalry, romantic relationships lost and found, friends that will support each other through anything, more bigger magic, pregnancy, and a power grab by the devil. This book delivers a fitting conclusion for the five main characters and any reader who has become invested in their trials and tribulations. Anyone waiting to read a complete series full of irreverent humor, magic, and heart, welcome to Her Majesty's Royal Coven.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP - Viking Penguin) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.