Shadow Coven by S. Isabelle. Scholastic Press, 2023. 9781338758993
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4.5
Format: ARC paperback (publication date 9/19/23)
Genre: Fantasy
What did you like about the book? The Wolf Hunt is over, summer break has started for Mesmortes Academy, and our witch coven has split up to tackle their own adventures…and problems. Death-witch Iris visits the ghosts of her parents in their secluded home, only to discover something sinister plaguing their souls. They need to be put to rest, or else they will transform into something not so serene. Thalia wants to spend the summer cleaning up the cursed swamp with her earth magic, but a place even worse is calling back to her: home. Jailah starts her coveted internship with the Haelsford Witchery Council only to discover a dark magic buried beneath the halls of Mesmortes, waiting to ruin the witches within its walls. Logan, with her new proxy magic, cannot get the wolf boy’s voice out of her head, and the wolves of the forest aren’t done with her yet. Even the two boys have their own magic to quell. Trent tries to uncover the dangerous mystery of his late mother and why she would give him away, and to whom. And Mathew, having died and come back, now has to grapple with his strange connection to Death, and thus Iris, without freaking anyone out. Though separated, the six teens must fight off against witch-hate, hexes, and nightmares, before it all tears their coven apart. It’s going to be a great summer.
Shadow Coven is a sequel in which each character tackles their personal dilemmas and inner demons from The Witchery. Juggling between six different points of view is a difficult writing endeavor, but Isabelle handles it wonderfully, making sure that each character has their own distinct voice, personality, and approach to solving their problems. It is fun to see some of the story-lines come together in action-packed, intense, or satisfying ways. The plot is complicated and reads as many different side quests smashed together into one book, but they all deal with a character’s major problem, as well as highlighting their flaws and growing their strengths. The tone is more fantasy than horror compared to the first book, as everyone (except for Iris and Mathew) is either trying to solve a mystery or dealing with relationships Iris, Jailah, Thalia, and Trent are Black. Logan and Mathew are White. Overall, this is a great sequel to The Witchery allowing the characters to grow as better witches and teens for the third book.
Anything you didn’t like about it? No
To whom would you recommend this book? Teens who love reading about witches, covens, and dangerous magic. Read The Witchery if you haven’t already, as things won’t make sense otherwise. The Grimoire of Grave Fates edited by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen and The Babysitter’s Coven by Kate M. Williams are good read-alikes.
Who should buy this book? High schools and public libraries
Where would you shelve it? YA Fiction or YA Fantasy
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Laila Carter, Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside, PA
Date of review: October 16, 2023
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