Shadow Coven

The Witchery #2

by S. Isabelle

The Haunting Season has ended, but dark magic lingers in the shadows.

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. She is to become a Reaper, tasked with banishing souls who refuse to cross over. But Iris suspects there’s something more ominous going on when Mathew’s role as her tether grows sinister.

Logan and Thalia are ready to prove themselves as witches. Except Logan still hears the howling Wolves and realizes that the Haunting Season may have awakened more than just her magic. And while Thalia wants to spend her days cleansing the Swamp for good, she finds herself heading to a place she swore she’d never go again: home. Witches have started going missing near Annex, and Thalia is convinced that her father is behind the disappearances. With the help of Logan and Trent, Thalia returns to stop him.

Meanwhile, Jailah is focused on her internship with the Haelsford Witchery Council until she discovers a treacherous magic hidden beneath Mesmortes, and there are those who will go to great lengths to keep it buried. So, she turns to the only person who understands, even if it’s the one witch who hates her most.

Separated by distance, the coven is surrounded by magical and mundane threats that must be defeated before they lose their witchery--and each other--forever...

Genres: Fantasy, Witches, Young Adult, Queer, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Lesbian

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2023

About the author

S. Isabelle is a reader, writer, and hoarder of books.

After earning a Master’s degree in library science, she took that love of reading to youth librarianship. When she isn’t writing, you can find her binge-watching TV shows, drinking heavily-sweetened coffee, or stressing over baseball.

S. Isabelle is the author of The Witchery, Shadow Coven, and the forthcoming historical romance The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick. Visit her online at sisabellebooks.com.

Reviews

[Oyinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

I listened to the audiobook and can’t get over the pronunciation of Jailah’s name from book one to two.

[Laneisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this sequel from beginning to end, and it really redeemed this series for me. Isabelle made sure to keep readers staying up late, saying, "just one more chapter." The plot was much better and well-developed, filled with suspense and thrill. There was also significant character development. Each character, as well as their story, was expanded and fleshed out. Most importantly, Logan was way more tolerable. Each character's storyline was well-written, flowed smoothly, and was more organized. As a result, it was easy to follow and understand each character's piece in the story.

Iris's storyline was a bit difficult to understand and keep up with this time around. As in book one, this sequel included a lot of “witchy” terminology that made it difficult to grasp some parts of the plot. Like in book one, a glossary would've been helpful. In addition, although each character's storyline served a purpose in the plot, I feel only Thalia's was the highlight and slightly overshadowed all the others.

Moving forward, I hope we get to see more from Jailah and Logan. I hope their stories continue to develop, as I feel they are the two characters that get the least amount of context and spotlight. Additionally, while there was a bit more about Iris, I also think her story needs to be fleshed out more. Finally, I hope we get to see Trent and Rebecca's characters further develop due to the events in this sequel.

Overall, this was truly a superb follow-up that left me eager and full of wonder. I hope this series gets at least one more book.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 so glad we got to see so much more magic in the magic system

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Haunting Season may be over but between dodging hexeaters, uncovering new secrets, and reaping souls there's no dull moments.

Full review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....

[myblackbookish_life · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! And thank God our lovely sequel handled the different POVs better (at least for me). I liked the different situations each girl had to deal with and their growth, and had a nice appreciation for the boys’ POVs too.

The ending did feel super rushed to me, and overall I feel like this book could have used 50-100 more pages for a proper resolution.

All that being said, I stand by what I said about book 1 in that this series would be perfect for a TV show adaptation! I’d love to see a streaming service pick this one up (and the format would be a lot more forgiving in terms of the story delivery)

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Brandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much happened in this book. I can't wait for the next one (hopefully🤞🏾).

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.75) Whew, this was a slog, honey. For a YA book this felt like it took forever. I really enjoyed the first book in this series but this dragged on and on and nothing really happened until the last third. It got so bad I switched to audio/immersive reading and then I was confronted with terrible narration so it went from bad to worse.

The book started by everyone in the coven saying, "no more secrets"!! Guess what the central tension of the text was?....yeah....annoying.

The ending very clearly set it up for a continuation but I honestly don't know if I'm up for it.

[ani♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

so this is what’s going on in florida

[Nicole Bragg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to the Witchery is leaps & bounds ahead of the first book. Any complaints I had about the first were almost all solved in this; I can build a picture in my head of what it looks like, there's a lot more interaction between everyone, & the world building seems more expanded this time around.

The story gets very personal, following each coven member through their personal traumas & backgrounds. I can easily see a 3rd book focusing on Jailah & Logan's paths forward, since it feels like they had the least progress/development this time around. The stakes are higher on a personal level too, I had a lot more anxiety about what would happen this time around than I did against the Wolves.

I'm definitely hoping for a 3rd one, if only to fully flesh out Jailah & Logan to the extent of the others, maybe tie up some loose ends with Bex & Trent too.

My only gripe (and it is a niche one) is maybe spend some time learning Canadian geography before writing more about the Canadian witch. A "tiny village" on the outskirts of Toronto simply does not exist.

[annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly liked it better than the first one, but I feel that the ending was way too rushed, however I love how Isabelle kept it open for another book and I am so ready for it. I want a movie of it so bad and to play Logan.

[Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

[Caley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rubbing my hands together in glee at all the revenge

[Santania · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite witches are back!!!

If you love witches then you will definitely love Shadow Coven. This is the sequel to The Witchery. This book comes a few weeks directly after where the first book ended. We follow each girl, specifically Thalia and Isis in this book, while the last book was more so heavily focused on Logan and Jailah.

Some highs of this read was the development of each character. In the first book, there were introductions to each of the characters, but the majority of the book was heavily focused on Logan being a baby witch and new to the school, as well as them dealing with the Wolves returning and attacking their school.

This book really delved into the other characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved reading about the blossoming relationship between Iris and Mathew, as well as Thalia and Trent. It was great to get more into Thalia’s family life. Learning more about her Witchery and her estranged father. She was definitely the star of this book!

While I really enjoyed this sequel, it didn’t hit the same as the first book. Which is why it got the rating of 4 stars instead of 5. The story line for this book was kinda lackluster, compared to the first book with them defeating the wolves. Felt like a filler episode, which is completely fine because it gave a lot more context into the characters, but it felt like the storylines that were brought up in this book were meant to be delved more into in a potential 3rd book (which I would definitely read!) While still very engaging and a nice follow up to the first book, it left me feeling slightly unfulfilled.

Overall, I would recommend this read, it’s a great spooky read (as I’m posting this on the last day of spooky szn😅 Happy Halloween btw, to those who celebrate). If you love Bonnie Bennett, Twitches, or any other witch film, you’ll definitely enjoy this read.

If you’ve read this or The Witchery, let’s talk!! Also, if you have any books recs with witches of color, please send them my way!!

[Rel Dasem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful and witchy, this is a fun continuation for this series that dives deeper into the covens individual lives and the greater world's secrets hidden by the witches before them. The magic system is enchanting, and unlike the previous book (witchery) all the characters truly popped off the page for me instead of just one or two!

I liked how each character got some time away from the coven, and got to focus on their own magic. However, plot wise this book felt a lot less focused than the previous novel. While there was a "big bad" again, it felt more like part of a side plot/ not as threatening or present as the wolves and curse.

Overall, to me it felt like we got alot more magic and three times the problems (which everyone keeps to themselves for too long, despite promising to have no more secrets- aka being teenagers, love it). But by the end, besides the "background bad guy" nothing really felt resolved, or even really clarified. I have a lot of questions and hope that there is another book in the works because I am definitely invested in the world/ characters and want to see the consequences/ payoff for all the lies and secrets.

XxX Spoilers XxX

While I liked that Thalia's mom also ended up being a witch, it felt a little out of left field that she was also connected to Trent's backstory as well. It felt too "small world" and I didn't really see any signs/ foreshadowing of it in the first book, so it just felt like a weird way to muddy up/ create conflict in the blooming romance of Trent and Thalia, so I'm not the biggest fan of that twist.

[Cora · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Witchery duology was magical and mysterious, and Shadow Coven was no different.

This story picks off not long after the end of The Witchery, with both our beloved Red Coven and their Hammersmitt boys recovering from the dramatic events of last school year and trying to enjoy a normal summer. But witches are going missing, old family and friends are reappearing, and something is stirring in the Swamp.

I loved every single plot line in this book, and the way they overlapped without being confusing. New developments in the witches' powers made the magic system even more interesting, and the further exploration of characters' backstories was super exciting. Watching all of them grow more comfortable with their magic and with each other was especially cool. The friendships, sisterhood, and romance in this series is simply fantastic.

The only flaw within this book is the loose ends--some of the plot lines came to a rather rushed conclusion during the climax, and while there were definitely intentional open endings, there were also a couple things that just felt glossed over or forgotten about. Fingers crossed we get a third book so we can see these characters and stories continued!! Either way, I will definitely be reading whatever S. Isabelle writes next.

[Stacia | stacialovestoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book took me over a month to read, not because it was bad or I didn’t like it, but because my mental health is *trash* and I couldn’t focus.

———-
Mega thanks to the author, Ms. Isabelle, for sending me a SIGNED ARC to read!!
I absolutely loved getting back to my favorite coven.

——-

[Deviki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3 1/2 star

This book was a slog to get through for me. I’m not sure if that’s because May was my busiest month and I couldn’t get into a proper reading flow, but I don’t think that’s the main reason.

Let me elaborate. The book does a good job following up on the first installment, and there's a lot of strong world-building. However, the pacing is slow. You get six POVs, and while I appreciated seeing the story unfold from each of the protagonists’ perspectives, the constant switching really slowed things down. You have to “wait” for the next time you return to the same character for their plotline to continue. On top of that, the girls felt very divided in this book, each pursuing their own agenda with little cohesion.

There’s a significant expansion of the world and some lingering mysteries from the first book are addressed, but very little actually happens until the end. Yes, there are some action scenes here and there, but they’re few and far between. Honestly, I think the story would have benefited from more interaction between the girls — shared scenes could have tightened the narrative and made it feel more cohesive.

I loved Thalia’s story. Honestly, if the author plans to continue the series, I think each book should focus on one witch, while still hinting at future subplots. Thalia’s arc could have carried this entire book on its own — she has a strong backstory, and her powers were developing in really interesting ways. Unfortunately, her potential to shine gets a bit overshadowed by everything else going on in the book. That twist at the end of her storyline? Didn’t see it coming and .....I loved that.

My favorite character has always been Iris. Her story was well-developed in the first book and continues to grow here. Honestly, her arc could be its own standalone in the series. There’s a lot going on for her — her relationship with Matthews and eventually Bex was a highlight. I also think she has the most compelling powers and some of the best action scenes. I’ll admit it — Iris kind of carried the book for me, LOL.

Logan’s arc was mostly wrapped up in book one, so her role here felt more like a bridge to past events. Her storyline was the weakest, in my opinion, but I appreciated that she shared "screen" time with Thalia. Jailah, on the other hand…sorry, but I found her POV pretty boring. Her storyline felt fabricated — like it was just there to make her fit with the rest of her coven. It didn’t really move the plot forward and kept bouncing between two subplots without much development.

As for the boys, they honestly had more compelling arcs. I was especially drawn to Trent’s storyline — it was intriguing and well-executed. Matthew’s arc was also strong and nicely intertwined with his sister and Iris. That said, I still don’t understand why he kept secrets from Iris. It felt like forced drama rather than a natural plot point.

Overall, the book dragged for a large portion, only to suddenly pick up pace toward the end with a promise of progress. I’m still interested in the story, but I’m not sure how eager I’ll be to pick up the next installment — if there is one.

[piper monarchsandmyths]

thank you to Scholastic and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everything in this book felt like it was leveling up from THE WITCHERY, with even better character and relationship development, as well as plot lines that kept me on my toes and excited for anything more that S. Isabelle could write in the future. While the first book in this series could be read as a largely self-contained whole, SHADOW COVEN truly just builds upon the foundation built there and makes it that much better. The worldbuilding and the way that Isabelle weaves together the fantastical elements with more real-world elements (eg the very real differences in how the white and Black characters are viewed) is so well done and while it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to reinvent the wheel, it still has its own twists and turns that make some things surprising and everything a joy to uncover. I would highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of THE WITCHERY, and if you haven’t even read that then consider adding this to your TBR, it’s definitely worth the read.

If there’s one thing that this book does, it’s go hard on the vibes. The magical world that S. Isabelle has created is distinctly situated in the contemporary world with all its own flairs. It balances in between the more witchy elements and how those things might be used by a bunch of teenagers in our current world. Even the different ways in which each girl or even the boys learn and interact with magic reveals so much about the world itself and the characters. I wish I could talk about more of the plot of this book without it being spoilery, but I can just say it’s truly bigger and better than ever before.

As far as characters go, I certainly have my favourites (Iris) but I think what this sequel does a good job of is endearing me even more to each character, allowing their characters to have more nuance and complexity now that the world and the stakes have been established by the first book. There are still characters and relationships that I wish got more page time, and so I sincerely have to hope that there’s a third book coming to put me out of my misery here. A specific great character element in this book is even further exploration of queer and potentially queer relationships.

I truly enjoyed this book and everything it built on from the first book. I’m also desperately hoping that there’s going to be another book in this series, so all the plot lines and loose strings still left unanswered can be wrapped up. And if that’s not convincing enough, it’s the perfect read for a very witchy time in October!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"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.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gratitude to the author, S. Isabelle, for sending me a new copy when mine was missing pages.

I liked the actual content of this book even better than the first. The storylines were interesting and captivating.

The reason I give the book 3 stars, is that it felt disjointed having each of the characters essentially pursuing a different plot point and switching back and forth between them.

The first book used the same tactic, but in my opinion it worked better, because each of the characters were working towards the same overarching goal — destroying the curse on the swamp.

For this sequel, that’s simply not the case. Each character seems to be working a different storyline: Jailah wants to expose the secrets of Witchkind’s ruling elite; Iris (& Matthew & Becca) are trying to follow the rules and expectations set forth by Death when she saved Matthew; Thalia is attempting to confront her father over the crimes she believes he committed against witches; Logan is trying to figure out where she stands in the town’s curse after last years’ events (although, this is pretty much forgotten until the end of the book, so she can join Thalia’s expedition for the majority); and Trent is trying to uncover his family history and reckon with his discoveries. I want to be clear here, I LOVED each of these storylines. What I didn’t love, was having to jump back and forth between them. It felt like I was reading 4-5 different books, because they simply didn’t connect the same way the stories in the first book did.

Different perspectives are a great way to tell a story, but this was attempting to tell multiple stories. I wish S. Isabelle had either written separate books about each plot so we could’ve delved deeper into the stories (but, I understand that may have been tricky to do with getting book deals and whatnot), OR that she had chunked the book into one character’s story at a time, instead of switching back and forth between them.

Loved the stories and the major plot twist with T&T. Disliked the execution of the stories.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this book was actually better than the first, or I was just paying more attention to the beginning of the book so I liked it more. It stared with a review of all of the characters and their powers/skill sets which was good since I didn't pay attention to that in the first book. This is the summer after book 1, and how the girls are dealing with it. Thalia goes home to deal with her past and realizes it wasn't what she thought it was. She gets drugged by one of the remaining siblings of the kid she killed and they realize they were both in the wrong, which is hard for the other girl to handle and they know they aren't done with each other. Thalia's mom kills her dad after Thalia discovers that her dad didn't always hate witches. Jailah has a meeting with the head of all witches and she should be excited but she's realizing that's not the life she wants anymore after Logan shows her a picture of blackthorn under the school. Jailah is working with her former tether to help her get her magic back and bucking the rules. Iris realizes that Matty isn't her tether, it's his sister. But, Matty is her rune keeper and also they are definitely in love but don't want to admit it to each other (Matty is willing to admit it, but Iris isn't ready). Logan is seeing the ghost of the wolf-boy and now she can control the wolves. Trent is really a witch but his mom hid his powers to protect him from Jailah's mom. A lot happened in this book, but it didn't feel finished. It seemed like there was going to be another book, but there is nothing on her website to indicate if or when another book is coming.

[toby⋒ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 povs 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!

[Reader rainbow_reads_review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is perfect for anyone looking to celebrate a little haunting season. Now that the haunting season is over, things should go back to normal, but things aren’t quite so simple. Death pulls Iris’ calling card and gives her work to do, Thalia finds herself unable to heal the swamp and potentially being corrupted herself. Logan keeps hearing the wolves and May still have a connection to them, and Jailah finds that there is dangerous magic in Mesmortes.

This book was the perfect follow up to the first, and each of their stories makes sense for what their roles were in the first book. Their relationships develop further in this book and I really like their dynamic as a coven and how much trust they place in each other and how much they’re willing to do for each other.

My only issue for this book was that there were just too many threads going on. In the first book, all the girls are on the same goal and generally working along the plot. This book has all the girls, plus Trent and Matthew and their stories, which are all independent. It was a bit much to keep track of and made following the plot line difficult because there were so many plot lines.

The exploration of magic in this book is even better than that in the first book, the characters get more of their individual time to shine and I liked getting to know each of them. Plus each of their stories were really interesting (just hard to keep track of). Overall a great sequel to a great book!

[DOMINIQUE Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Now that Haunting Season is over things should be back to normal bug the only issue is it’s not. Jailah, Iris, Logan, and Thalia each have issues that need to be resolved. Logan is still hearing the Wolves. Thalia is trying to cleanse the swamp. Jailah uncovers hidden magic under Mesmortes. Iris is transforming into a reaper.

Let me start off by saying how much I enjoyed reading the book. Each of the main characters having a plot line was so important to me. I liked that throughout the book none of them seemed like secondary characters and that’s so important.

Thank you Scholastic, Scholastic Pres, Colored Pages Book Tour and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Gwen Cecil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in like around a week. I can not describe to you how many emotions went through me during each chapter. This book had me laughing like a maniac, kicking my feet and giggling, and screaming all in the course of 5 minutes. I think that it does a good job of taking what we knew from book one and expounding on it. There are a lot of plot twists, like this book doesn’t let the characters catch a break. Some of the plot twists felt out of place, but there was only really one that I took issue with, the rest are fine. I think it was a great improvement from book one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You should too 🫶🏻🫶🏻

[Galina · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!!

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. It features 6 player-characters whose schedules don't always line up, so they dip in and out of plotlines. The author tries very hard to make sure every character and their backstory gets their time to shine. The pacing is erratic. Characters regularly break tension with jokes and innuendo. It's a mess.

And yet, it is all compelling. The characters are fun, the plots are interesting, and it never slows to the point of being boring. I would love to hear this author DM a livestream D&D game.

[Lori Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Scholastic, NetGalley, and S. Isabelle for an advance copy of Shadow Coven book 2 of The Witcher. This is perfect for spooky season and is an excellent follow-up to book one. The Haunting Season is over but yet there are still plenty of mysterious things happening at Mesmortes. Sage and the rest of her coven are spread out but they have to solve these problems or no one will be safe. Definitely recommend both books by S. Isabelle for a great spooky read.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so perfect. It had great BIPOC representation, an awesome magic system, an exciting plot and lively characters. This is like a younger version of The Craft, but with stronger and darker magic. I can't just say hiw cool this was, it's a great witchy book for this spooky season. I couldn't have asked for more. It was amazing and kept me hooked. The POV's took me into the different minds within the coven and I was just thrilled to know more. I am looking forward to read more!