The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

Welcome to the The Shadow Cabinet Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on December 16th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 12/16
December 16 - Epigraph to Chapter 7
December 17 - Ch. 8 to Ch. 16
December 18 - Ch. 17 to Ch. 25
December 19 - Ch. 26 to Ch. 36
December 20 - Ch. 37 to Ch. 46
December 21 - Ch. 47 to Ch. 58
December 22 - Ch. 59 to Ch. 66



PARTICIPANTS
~ Katie
~ Sarah-Vanessa
~ Juliane

Yeyvso excited to meet my favorite witches again! Although very sad Niamh had to go……
(view spoiler)[ I Don‘t know up until where I got today, as I only have this one as an audiobook. But listened about 2 hours in.
I have to say the POV of Chiara is going to be hard one for me. Villains perspective isn’t my thing, but maybe we get some insights why she behaves and acts the way she does. Also how interesting was it to get some background info on when Miranda was pregnant with the twins. She already knew one would be bad and one good. So I guess Annie knew it too.
Theo keeps being one of my favorite characters. Straight at the beginning of the book she finds out that Chiara is in Niamhs body. Absolutely hated what Chiara did to her afterwards.. (hide spoiler)]

Hello, looking forward to this one, the first one was really enjoyable except for that ending, talk about shocking.
How likely is it that Niamhs death was some kind of fake-out? I don't believe it but one can hope 😅

I only finished the flashback chapter so far
(view spoiler)[It was quite creepy how Miranda controlled the people to get to her goal but her plight is so heartbreaking, especially considering everything we know by now about Niamh and Ciara.
Also I like that we are straight back into the feminist discussions considering the parallels between witches and women who performed abortions (hide spoiler)]

Also just so we have a rough schedule, how about this (I tried to take length into account following the audiobook times with varying success😄):

December 16 - Epigraph to Chapter 7
December 17 - Ch. 8 to Ch. 16
December 18 - Ch. 17 to Ch. 25
December 19 - Ch. 26 to Ch. 36
December 20 - Ch. 37 to Ch. 46
December 21 - Ch. 47 to Ch. 58
December 22 - Ch. 59 to Ch. 66

Thoughts up to chapter 13 (around 3:50 hours out of 15:30 hours of the audiobook-hope that helps to avoid spoilers)
(view spoiler)[
@Sarah-Vanessa I agree with you on both the reaction to how Chiara treated Theo when she found out the truth but also having to get used to Chiaras POV.

I do find it interesting how Chiaras story is told but at the same time I'm shocked by her level of self-delusion and her sense of perspective of herself, like the whole "I'm not a sociopath" and then going on to alter/manipulate peoples minds how ever she sees fit.
Although I am curoius if the hints at Niamh having had her dark sides is only Chiaras perspective or if there is more to that.
I like that Irina can push back against Chiara a bit but I'm worried that the Oracles are hiding much more than they are telling the Coven. Like what else do they know that convinces them that Theo is Leviathan? I just don't get that there are enough hints towards that unless her grief over losing Niamh will culminate in her turning towards evil later on.

I'm not sure where Elles scenes of home-life will lead, are they mainly used as interludes of the possibility of normalcy for witches and mundanes or just how far one can lie to themselves in search of such normalcy? Especially in regards to her husbands infidelity which by now everyone seems to know about except Elle.

Leonis fight against the Warlocks was badass and I'm glad we are seeing more of her abilities and how they can be used. I did feel that we stepped away a bit from the topic of family since the first book as mentioned by the idea of having a baby, it seems a bit like her rather obsessive search for her brother also seems to be the means to escape thinking too much about the future and home-life with her wife.
(hide spoiler)]

I'm only a few chapters in. Theo is quick! Figured it out immediately. Haven't seen the full fallout of Niamh catching her yet.

I think the beginning really begs the question (and probably intentionally on the author's part), of what "identity" is. Ciara didn't remember doing all that horrible stuff, so is the current Ciara really the same person? She was not shaped by those experiences like the person we saw in flashbacks in book 1. Since she's already taking up so much page time, I have to assume she becomes at the very least an anti-hero.

Well I‘m way behind…
(view spoiler)[@Juliane I also still have a glimmer of hope that Niamh will return and I wonder what the oracles really now about Chiara in Niamhs body. I‘m still hoping for Chiara to find the good path but after letting a demon in again and killing Irina and then on top of that using Luke… I guess there’s not that much of a chance. And Theo being Leviathan, still don’t buy it. I believe Snow is a better fit.
And when does Elle finally find out about her husband’s infidelity, like as you said @ Juliane how come almost everyone knows except for her.

Also lived the plot about Leonie. She’s awesome. (hide spoiler)]

So I guess I’m somewhere around chapter 18. I only have the audio book so I lost track.
(view spoiler)[Well… Elle knows now. And no surprise Chiara was the one to tell her. I mean who else. On the other hand I feel Leonie was supposed to tell her from the beginning. I feel sorry for Elle that non of her friends told her.

And Leonie, wow! She’s fierce. Absolutely loved how she freed those girls from Domino.
I didn’t manage to continue any further yesterday, but hopefully today. (hide spoiler)]

I'm up to chapter 22 (around 5 and a half hours into the audiobook) and I have to admit that this one isn't quite pulling me in like the first one although I can't quite figure out why. Maybe because I find myself not really caring all that much about Chiara like somhehow her part of the story just feels a little forced to me and I don't really see her fitting into the rest of the narrative yet, I dont't know, I hope it will get better as the story progresses and her path becomes clearer.

(view spoiler)[I'm sorry but Luke is a What now? I did not see that coming, like I get that everybody has good and bad sides but this seems a bit much. Although I do see great potential in his struggle to get out of a cult. The meeting really felt like what I imagine a gathering of incels or mens-rights activists would look like. I'm glad Luke is trying to get out but I'm worried that once he finds out what happened to Niamh he might become one of the main villains.

@ Sarah-Vanessa I agree regarding Leonies chapters, it seems really fitting the way she dealt with Domino and offering the freed girl a place in her diaspora. At the same time I cannot imagine it to be a good idea for her to be all alone in finding her brother and Hale.

Also regarding the infidelity plot I am curious if Chiara is really finding her own humanity in the sense of wanting to be friends with Elle again or if there is something more sinister going on. @ Katie I think your questions regarding identity really come into play here again, cause I also believe nobody can be the same person after spending nine years in a coma however old traits die hard I guess.
(hide spoiler)]

@Juliane Hope it got a little better for you as the story is proceeding. Totally get where you coming from about not caring too much about Chiara. She wasn’t portrayed the nicest in the first book.

(view spoiler)[But as the story progresses I feel like maybe a) Chiara is changing, as I see her caring about things she „shouldn’t care“ for if she’s really the bad twin or b) she has been made the bad twin by her mom although she isn’t at all. Eager to find out what it really is, but I see a glimmer of good in her.
@Juliane 100% on your opinion about Luke. I was like WHAT! And I find these witch hunters really primitive. And I just wish Luke would step up to his father and tell him what it is. Selling out another witch to save Niamh, well I get the move, but really…. I wish things could be different. And I fear what will happen when Luke finds out Niamh is Chiara…
And Leonie finding that witch island. Love her plot, just wish she will be save fighting against Hale.

Sweet little Elle, who knew she could react like that. Although I really dislike Jess, I felt kind of sad for him. Hope these two find a way to solve their situation. Maybe it will make Elle and Chiata grow closer again, in case Elle decides to confide in Chiara about what she did.

What do you think about Theo and Milo? They’re the cutest. I was totally rooting for them and didn’t like Holly pressuring Theo in not being with her brother. I thought it was a really selfish move from Holly despite the tough times she is going through.

And well then there’s the Shadow Cabinet. They’re going to be big trouble especially after Chiara tapped right into their trap. I‘m sensing a witch hunt coming up (hide spoiler)]

Overall I‘m way more invested in the second book. Maybe because I already understand the magic system and know all the characters. In book one I struggled for quite some time until I got hooked.

I got too wrapped up in Christmas festivities to finish but got a decent way through on my drive home today! I'm right at about the 2/3 mark. Something that was brought up earlier was the way Ciara reacted to the demon possession, almost like it was a drug she was addicted to in her old life. I think it will be easier for her to resist since Niamh's body had never been exposed to that. It feels like she got tangled up and influenced by the wrong people, but now that she can't even remember that, she might be an anti-hero of sorts as the books go one. I know we're following a lot of perspectives in this book, but it feels like Ciara is presented as the "main" character since more chapters are from her POV.

I also find Elle's story FASCINATING right now. She has done something that, according to everyone who knows about it, should simply be impossible. While Dabney Hale is totally the bad guy, I think this does indicate that he has a point when it comes to HMRC, and likely other government affiliated covens around the world, choosing to stifle witches' power.

I'm at the point where I definitely want to finish quickly! I want to know what happens! I bet it will be another cliffhanger just like book 1, except this time I'll have to wait until the final book comes out!

@Katie YES! Totally agree and I also think there will be another huge cliffhanger at the end.

It definitely got better @Sarah-Vanessa, I'm so glad I stuck with the book because it is certainly picking up having reached the half-way point.
I'm woefully behind but I think I will catch up/ finish within the next two days.

Regarding the whole Holly-Theo-Milo relationship mess I think most of it, especially Hollys behaviour, can be attributed to them being teenagers. Holly seems to have really fallen for Theo and I'm guessing this gets even worse if the closest friend is thinking about dating ones sibling.

The island of witches is so fascinating I hope we will see more about their history and the inner workings, I really enjoy Leonis narrative in this book.
So I guess we are beginning to see alliances forming regarding the fight against Hale, with Leoni helping out HMRC and now finding an agreement with the witches on that Island. There seems to be a lot of potential for disagreements as well as conflicts just between these groups on how to proceed etc.

Elles reaction to finding out about Jess was so creepy, I understand her anger but that seriously seemed too much and the fact that even she doesn't know what she did and how she did it makes me wonder how much easier it will be both for the Shadow cabinet as well as the witch hunters to track and try to prosecute the witches, same goes for Chiaras stunt infront of the Cabinet.
By god I hate both of these male groups who are simply hating on something they neither can nor actually truly want to understand in my opinion.
I feel so bad for Sheila that she has to be dragged into this just because the witch hunters are bloody misogynists.

It's very interesting how Chiaras character is developing both in regards to the grander things like Hale not getting in contact but also the supposed Demon sightings but especially in regards to Theo. On the one hand she seems to become more interested in Theos wellbeing on the other hand she can't help to invade Theos thoughts and to keep drugging Theo to keep the memories away, same goes for her relationship with Luke.
@Katie I agree that we seem to be heading for the anti-hero route with her and she is still the main characters because in my mind at the end of the day all the tension and conflicts will probably be decided on where she decides to go with all the knowledge she is now accumulating as well as how and when people find out who she truly is.

I don't even know how to feel about that ending wtf

Woah WHAT???? Did not see that ending coming, it's far too long till part three now.

at least we have a novella to tide us over! Book 3 comes out in July I think? so I'll probably read Queen B: The Story of Anne Boleyn, Witch Queen in March/April.

Having had a few days to think I just wanted to write down a few thoughts about book two.

(view spoiler)[ So it is almost too obvious for the person Theo revived to be Niamh but I feel there are so many hints in this book how dangerous this kind of magic is it opens up so many possibilities for further heartbreak way more than proper closure.

I wonder how long Lucifer could have strung along this game and toward what goal if Elle hadn't frozen Jess and needed him to be "recreated" like this for him to remember. I don't know what I find more upsetting, him creating Milo or Jude, although both are a perverse sense of evil.

Also I really enjoyed how far along the ending went, it felt like the book could have had many more earlier open endings, be it with Hale believing himself to be Leviathan, Chiara trying to smother the earth or Lukes dad shooting her. I'm glad it went like this, even though the Leviathan thing was more a red herring it feels like the story found a sense of conclusion before starting to face the bigger bad.
(hide spoiler)]

Yes I believe no. 3 is estimated for July, lets see if we come back for it this year. The title "Human Rites" certainly leaves a lot for interpretation and intrigue.

@Katie If you ever want to Buddy read the prequel sometime in Spring I would be happy to join you

Sorry work was super busy and I didn’t catch up here. I‘ll write my thoughts the next few days.

I‘d definitely also like to read book 3 and the novella so I might hop in when you decide to read it. But at the moment the novella is not yet available in the reading app I use and book 3 will probably also come later for me, as the app is in German and books come out later.

Ufff, I mean Wow. What an ending, right? And definitely an end with a cliffhanger as you all were predicting.
(view spoiler)[So many revelations. Like Constantin isn’t dead. And they fixed Jess. Luke killing his father… Milo being dead, and Milo actually being Lucifer… Wow! This series just keeps surprising me more and more. So many unexpected things.
@Juliane You’re definitely right about Theo reviving Niamh. I just hope she doesn’t go down the dark road, being in love with Milo, aka Lucifer.

Overall I loved book number two even more than the first one.And it definitely makes you want to immediately dive into book three . Sadly we have to wait. I hope the prequel will soon be available in my app. (hide spoiler)]