Hunting season may be over but the trouble is not in S. Isabelle’s sequel to The Witchery. What should be a relaxing summer after defeating the wolves turns into a nightmare for the Coven. With distance between them, each must prove themselves to be the witches they were trained to be.

I seem to be an outlier in not loving this book. I so enjoyed The Witchery and had really high expectations for this one. I think I set them TOO high.

The plot was discombobulated, made worse by the multiple narrators. Not only do we get the four Coven members, we include Mathew and Trent, too. So many voices felt like too many chefs in the kitchen, if you will. There isn’t time to fully appreciate the plot of the story because there are so many perspectives on events. With three core storyline struggles, it felt like so much was happening all at once. Despite all that, I love the diversity of the characters. The Coven are all well developed and unique characters. Incorporating those unique aspects into their friendship is written so well.

The depth of this book, down to the underlying politics, was a blast to read and definitely would recommend it.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

We're back. The coven is all here. Some with awakening powers and others having to make decisions about their life path. This is a multiple point of view book. There is action, friendship and love. It is the second book in the series. To understand the coven dynamics and history, it's best to read the first book. You won't be disappointed.

It’s sometimes hard to follow up a good debut but this book was just as good if not better than the Witcher. Was a page turner and kept me guessing until the very end.

I loved the first book so I was really excited for this one and it did not disappoint. All of the characters are so diverse and you can really feel the bonds that they share after everything they've gone through. Some of the twists though! How dare you Mesmortes?! How fun it would have been to grow up witchy and have such a fun witchy group of friends. Really hope that this series continues, I can't wait to see what adventures await the coven as they get older.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the ARC!!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, as I loved the first book! This second book was also great!! There was so much action packed into this book, as it picked up pretty much right where the last book left off. Each of the characters had their own “side quests” in this book, but I never felt like it was confusing or hard to keep up with where everybody was and who they were with! I am now anxiously awaiting book three. I was not ready for this one to end. I love this coven!

"Shadow Coven" by S. Isabelle, the second installment in The Witchery series, casts a spellbinding continuation of the coven's journey. Following their triumph over the Wolves, Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia anticipate a relaxing summer, but destiny has other plans in store.

Isabelle continues to excel in world-building, weaving an intricate tapestry of magic, intrigue, and danger. The characters' growth and development are evident, and their friendships deepen as they face new challenges. The relationships, both romantic and platonic, are deftly explored and add emotional depth to the story.

The book excels in creating an engrossing plot, with each coven member facing their own trials. Iris's transformation into a Reaper is particularly compelling, and the shift in Mathew's role as her tether adds an intriguing layer of suspense. Logan's struggle with the Wolves' lingering presence and Thalia's determination to confront her father's sinister plans showcase the complexity of their characters.

Jailah's internship and her uncovering of hidden magic beneath Mesmortes Academy create a sense of foreboding and mystery. The integration of mundane and magical threats adds tension to the narrative, propelling the story forward.

The strategic placement of multiple perspectives allows readers to delve into the minds of each coven member, enhancing the depth of the story. The character arcs are more pronounced in this installment, making the reader emotionally invested in their journeys.

The unique magical abilities of each character are skillfully incorporated, making their individual contributions crucial to the coven's survival. The book maintains a captivating pace and skillfully balances action, character development, and world-building.

"Shadow Coven" successfully expands the lore of The Witchery series while maintaining its engrossing narrative. With its well-crafted magical world, compelling characters, and enthralling plot twists, this book serves as a testament to Isabelle's storytelling prowess. Fans of the series will undoubtedly find themselves eagerly awaiting the next installment.

4.4 rounded down to 4/5.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

4.5 stars. Thank you netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review. This sequel was sooooo much better than the first book. I feel like The Witchery had first book syndrome, where so much of it was to set up what was to come in the second book that it didn’t read as well as it could’ve. Now this book, however, was great.

Thalia’s storyline continues to be the best, and her and Jailah continue to be my favs. I was bored by the boys in the first book, but their storylines and developments were so much better in this one. Also damn-Logan and Bex?!?! I’m excited for book 3 😏😏😏 Jailah’s ship falls short for me, but I’m hoping that if Logan and Bex happen that they won’t. They already have more chemistry in that one scene than Jailah and Vero in all of their scenes. I just don’t feel like I’m rooting for them? They’re meh to me. I do like Iris and Mathew a lot more in this one. Something still feels missing from Iris’s character arc, but I’m not sure what. Logan was still my least fav of the girlies, but I liked her more and found her magic + povs more interesting.

All in all, this was a great book. The storylines were well written, the plot was well thought out, the character arcs were arc-ing, and the friendships and relationships developed nicely. I liked the way the chapters were setup too; the pov placements were well done. I really liked it. Pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t sure with the last book how I’d feel about this one, but it was enjoyable for sure!

This book was just what my queer dark heart needed. The magic was chefs kiss. The plot was so creative and left me wanting more.

Thanks to NetGalley for given this ARC to me.

This book takes place during the summer after the Haunting Season. Iris is tasked by Death to become a Reaper, Logan can still hear the Wolves, Jailah is focused on her internship with the Witchery Council, and Thalia wants to find a way to cleanse the swamp. Thalia though gets a call from her mother about missing witches near her home t0wn which may have something to do with the father that she hates. To put a stop to him, she goes back home with Logan and Trent as backup. Jailah discovers that there is a secret under the school that others want to keep secret at all costs.

I was so happy to get to be able to read the second in a series with such a unique concept. The magic is so different from other fantasy books and I am a huge Macbeth fan so the pricking blood to get magic to work intrigued me. Each character is unique with their type of magic and I liked seeing that. There was a bit of a sophomore slump where there doesn't seem to be as much drive to character motivations as the first one. I would of liked to see more of Logan learning about the powers that she now has and her connection to the Wolves. I know Mathew and Trent are important to the story but I would have liked more from the four witches than from them. This was still a fun read and I look forward to the next one. This is a must read for fans of unique magic and strong female leads.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review! Overall, I like this book better than the first one. To me I love getting an update with the characters and also a better dive and the coven and the town. I will for sure getting this book on hardcover when it comes out!

After defeating the Wolves, Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia want nothing more than a summer of fun and relaxation. But there is no rest for the wicked, especially when Death comes for Iris

I loved The Witchery and this sequel is just as good, maybe even better. I hope this author keeps it up and gives us more excellent tales.

This is a sequel, so there are spoilers from book one below.

I definitely liked this book better than the first. The first book was confusing for the first half or so. While I still mixed up the points of view once in awhile, it was easier to figure out each voice in Shadow Coven. Iris is still a favorite. Death starts speaking through Mathew and he starts making ruins for Iris. They grow closer. Mathew's sister, Bex, is in this one quite a bit and I also really liked her. Logan's new power connection was pretty cool, but there was one sad part that bothered me. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't write about what it was. Thalia's feelings for Trent start to grow. Trent looks for information about his mother and finds out some secrets about magic. When Thalia decides to go back home, Trent and Logan surprise her and go with. Her home isn't friendly to witches and Thalia has to use magic to look different. Witches are going missing and Thalia believes her dad is involved. It may even be practice for what he wants to do to Thalia when he finds her. Jailah stays at the school because she has to meet with a high witch that is visiting. She's afraid that what happened the previous school year may come out. Jailah's eyes are opened a bit to the sort of politics of the adult witches at the school. It's not what she hoped it would be.

I enjoyed this one. The pacing was pretty good. I'm not sure with the ending though. It could be a quick wrap up, but I feel like there needs to be a third book. Goodreads doesn't have one listed, so I'll have to keep an eye out for more information.

I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I absolutely loved the first book of this series and the second one was even more magical. All of the characters are so diverse and have incredible stories. Relatable, beautiful, haunting, thrilling, and heart wrenching are just some of the words that come to mind after finishing this book. This is a must read for the upcoming spooky season and for anyone that needs their own witchy coven.