Book: Havenfall by Sara Holland

Published March 2020 by Bloomsbury YA|400 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Havenfall #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds–each with their own magic–together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie’s brother. It’s where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it’s where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens–a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She’ll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she’s letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie–no one can be trusted, and no one is safe…

I liked Havenfall!  I was excited about this book after reading her Everless series, but I have to say, I didn’t like this book as much as Everless.

I like the world, and I like the idea of a sanctuary in the mountains that connects all of these different worlds.  I personally had a hard time remembering which world was which, and I also had some trouble keeping of some of the characters.  I also liked the setting, and I wish we got to explore more of Havenfall.  It seems like a beautiful place, and I really hope we get to see more of it in the next book.

I know we had to stay in the inn for this book, and it makes me a little sad, because I feel like there’s a lot more we can see and explore.  It really does seem like the perfect intersection between all of these different worlds, where they can all come together at a neutral meeting ground.  I really, really hope this world will get a little bit bigger in the next book.

I felt like we went from event to event with not a lot in between, which is weird because it also felt like the book moved at a really slow pace.  I know this is the book in a series, and we might get more information as the series goes on, but I felt like I didn’t get enough information in this book.

I was surprised by the mystery aspect of it.  I was expecting it to be more of a fantasy.  Don’t get me wrong, that was definitely there, and I kind of like the mystery elements.  It did keep me reading because I wanted to know what happened next.

I’m honestly not sure what else to say about Havenfall- I feel like I’ve said everything I’ve needed to say, so onto my rating!

3 stars.  I liked it enough to want to read the next book, and I really hope we see more of the world in the next book.