This was not really my cup of tea. I got lost quite early on. I think I'll try again later, when I'm in a different mindset, because the story is fascinating.

I have to admit that Havenfall was definitely a reflex read for me due to the absolutely breathtaking cover! Luckily I ended up enjoying the story just as much as the cover. The Inn at Havenfall is a sanctuary of sorts hidden in the mountains of Colorado, it serves as a peacekeeping establishment that also connects the different worlds. There is Fiordenkill, an icy frozen land; Byrn, a land with elemental magic; Solaria, a sealed off world that traditionally contained powerful magic; and Haven, the human world.

Our main character, Maddie, has been spending her summers at Havenfall for as long as she can remember. Her uncle is the innkeeper of Havenfall and Maddie hopes to follow in his footsteps one day. However, something terrible happens at Havenfall this summer and Maddie must take on more responsibility than she feels ready for, on top of questioning people she has known for years.

My favorite thing about this story was the world-building. I loved the concept of the different worlds with the human world and it’s lack of magic serving as a “safe zone.” It really added a political element to the story with all of the different denizens from other worlds coming together to discuss trade and politics. I would have loved more detail about the worlds themselves but this is the beginning of a series so hopefully that will come later!

I enjoyed the addition of Taya as a character and the dynamics that were created with Maddie. As a character Maddie wasn’t a standout for me, she was a little tropey and didn’t stand on her own very well. I didn’t hate reading things from her perspective, but I honestly think I would have enjoyed reading them from Taya’s more.

Overall, Havenfall was a fun read for me, with an intriguing universe that I would love to read more details about. I also really enjoyed the ending! It felt like not enough was really happening for most of the book, but then the ending was very action-packed.

I absolutely loved this book, it was full of so many twists and turns. I was unable to stop reading, each page had me gripped till the end.

This excerpt ended too soon! When I finished, i kept clicking the next page button because I was not ready to be done with it. I had to order the book as soon as I finished because I needed to know what happened next. I loved Sarah Holland's other book series, Everless, so when I heard of Havenfall, I knew I had to read it. This excerpt was attention-grabbing and draws you in the second you start reading.

I loved the concept of this book. An inn on the top of a mountain full of magical people? That is right up my alley. There were many positive parts of this book like the interesting magical system and the problems that the author presented for the characters.

However, the execution of the story fell a little short for me. The characters were not developed as well as they could have been The author had the opportunity to create incredibly interesting and diverse characters, but they all felt the same to me.

I also felt like the structure of each chapter was really repetitive. The character woke up, had a long day, and was exhausted by the end of the day. There were interesting events thrown in, but by the middle of the book, I was ready to find the solution and be done with reliving the same day over and over again.

This wasn't a bad book, I gave it three stars. I loved the concept, I just wish the world and characters were developed a little more.

This book was unfortunately not for me. It felt slightly rushed and I am aware it’s getting a sequel but it felt like it would have been better as one book instead of two

An intriguing story which unfortunately didn’t quite live up to expectations. I absolutely loved the idea of a hidden inn in the mountains where worlds collide, and found Maddie, with her desire to prove herself worthy of being the next innkeeper, very relatable. However the rest of the characters felt quite two dimensional seen from her point of view, and many of the main events felt somewhat rushed. There were some good twists and turns along the way, and I did enjoy the story, but I wouldn’t be rushing back for more.

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A safe haven between four realms and 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 its own magic. 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 firsthand. 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…
Bestselling author Sara Holland pulls readers into an enchanting world where both power and peril lurk behind every door.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Really interesting concept- I love that Haven is a portal to other worlds and that they’re so diverse. Slightly disappointed we didn’t actually get to visit those other worlds, but perhaps that’s to come later in the series.
Big fan of the queer aspect, even if not a lot eventuated. Certain aspects of the story line were quite twisty like Brekken but Taya’s I spotted almost instantly and was waiting ages for the characters to make it there as well.
Overall a good solid fantasy novel, my socks weren’t blown off but I’d read the sequel if given the opportunity.

I enjoyed this book but I felt character connection was lost throughout. It’s like character relationships were just constantly being explained and described but you didn’t actually FEEL the connections between characters. However, the plot of the story is so intriguing and the mix of different types of people and magic, so I’m super hopeful for the next book! The end of this was phenomenal and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was very excited because I had read Sara Holland's Everless, and loved it. I really wanted to enjoy this book from the get-go and the premise sounded very interesting. Unfortunately, I just could not get into it. I ended up DNFing as I just did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Perhaps I will come back to it at another time.

Having read the full book, I felt that Havenfall had a really interesting set up... and to be honest, in the first 50 pages I was kind of intrigued! but I found the rest just didn’t quite deliver. There wasn’t much world building and it was difficult to empathize with the characters. There was a romance which I didn't feel added anything to the plot, as well as a MC who was frustrating and naive and made stupid choices consistently.

The excerpt provided did wonders in capturing my attention and captivating me in the mysterious world that Sara Holland has created. I was intrigued, cautious, and wanting more.

Again, I feel like I have to be honest. I was really looking forward to read this book and get lost in it. As I love Sarah Hollands writing style and her previous works. However, due to life circumstances I was unable to read this book and is no longer available for me to access.

Apologies for the inconvenience.

3.5 stars.

This was an average read for me especially more so because I didn't like many of the choices Maddie went with, how she reacted to things and her thought processes.

What I liked:

- I really liked the setting and the whole lore of the realms and the world building.

- I loved Taya and how she questions everything rather than believe everyone like Maddie does.

- The whole truths that keep shifting and the underlying conspiracies definitely kept me reading through the end.

What I didn't like:

- The writing in the very beginning was very awkward and reminded me of how my 14 year old self used to write especially with the introduction of each detail to get the reader familiar with Maddie. There were many repeated sentences over and over again throughout the whole book. Plus, am I the only who's bothered with how many "ands" are in the book?

- Many of Maddie's actions were really foolish and many things could have easily been avoided honestly especially with her decision about the treaties before the end. A lot of going back and forth about events and for some reason Maddie refuses to think of the most logical stuff Taya tells her and dismisses them.

- I understand that it's a 1st POV but a lot of things happen off screen and just mentioned later on as a remark instead of an event happening like saving Sura and the Heiress's, Graylin's and Willow's reactions to the truths that was revealed.

- Some characters' actions/reactions aren't specified or ignored. Like what did Princess Enetta think about the Solarian issue or whatever happened to her afterwards? She just disappeared after the whole argument with the Silver Prince.

- I can't help but feel that the way they treat Solarians were somewhat racist.

Overall, despite me having more complaints than praises, the whole conspiracy and truths exposed in the end was the selling point of the book and kept me reading non-stop. I can't help but want the book in Taya's POV instead because I found her whole character and background much more interesting. I can't really guess what the focus of the next book is going to be about and that makes me excited to read it!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

A magical world and monsters what more could you ask for in a book. Havenfall had so many twists in turns that I could not put the book down near the end. Some parts were a bit slower and just had a lot of details in it, but you can't fault it too much. Holland also gave one of the best plot twists that I have read in awhile, I literally gasped so loud my grandma had to come check on me.

Maddie is also a very inspirational character for those who are put in a scary situation very quickly. With the help of the other people who are living in Havenfall she was able to conquer all of her fears and do what was best for the community. Also she took her heartbreak and yes she wallowed in it, but then she came back better than ever and was ready to fight.

Intriguing story! A great author with moving storytelling skills. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a book to take with you for a quick escape from the work life.

I didn't read the whole thing, only an excerpt, but it's one I think I'll pick up again someday. I loved the description of Haven, of the mountains, and Mirror Lake sounds very pretty. I like the narrator's voice and Taya is a character I would love to learn more about

Havenfall Review

First thought I had whenever I read that Marcus was a portal keeper, my mind went immediately to Magnus Bane and I was hooked. I was also not expecting monsters to be part of this book. I try to go into books blind so the anticipation is greater a boy I was not expecting any of that. Maddie seems like she is going to be one of those characters that i root for long after Ive finished the book.

Havenfall sounds like such a magical place to stay, even if you do have to drink a certain wine that makes you forget everything that happened. The writing just makes you want to go through the pages and be there with Maddie. Definitely a very good book for everyone to read, I never wanted to put the book down.

Holland makes such a great plot twist that I honestly didn’t see it coming. Really can’t wait for book two.

Havenfall is an Inn, hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado, that is a sanctuary connecting ancient worlds together. For generations the Inn has protected all who seek refuge. For Maddie Morrow, summers at the Inn are an escape from reality, where her mothers sits on death row accused of murdering her brother. But this summer everything the Inn stands for is shattered when people end up dead. Her friend is missing, her uncle is gravely ill, there’s a deadly monster on the loose and Maddie finds herself in charge. She’ll do anything to find the truth, but no one can be trusted and no one is safe…

It’s a good thing this book is only 320 pages because if it was any longer it would have been one hell of a slog.

While there is a uniqueness to it Sara Holland gives you a lot of info dumping. Nothing is done in small doses, everything comes at once. I had no idea what to focus on or if there was anything particular I was supposed to be paying attention to. I feel like I know a lot but at the same time I know nothing. Holland made the choice to have the book in first person POV so the majority of it is inner monologue and description and it just makes the book feel so heavy even though it’s so short.

Character wise, meh. I can tell you a few names but I couldn’t go further than that. None of the characters have much depth to them and aren’t memorable in the slightest. I found it difficult to connect with any of them or feel any form of sympathy even though they all seemed to have the “tragic past” trope. I found Maddie to be quite boring and a very basic character. She also doesn’t strike me as the smartest of tools which is never a good thing for an MC.

I’ve seen a few people say this book feels more like a novella or a prequel, to which I say, for what purpose? If you’re going to do a prequel to introduce a new world before the series gets going then maybe do it with a different set of characters. I feel like the attempt at world building took precedence over the characters and to me, that shouldn’t happen. I can tolerate an iffy world if the characters are good, because I’ll keep reading for the characters, but if the characters are poor then there’s nothing for me to connect to and get invested in.

Ultimately, I just don’t really care which is incredibly disappointing. Everless was everything I didn’t know I wanted and I thought Sara Holland could become one of my favourite authors but this really makes me second guess that. Nothing excites me here. Give me a week and I won’t remember anything. The plot and story were nothing special and the ‘twists’ were incredibly predictable, I’d called most of it within the first 10% of the book. The dialogue was odd and unnatural. I feel like if Sara thought she could write the whole book as an inner monologue she would have. Just no. It really didn’t deliver.

I received a digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback

Havenfall - Sarah Holland

Wow.
What a wild ride this was! This was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish, there were moments where I debated DNFing, the narration was weirdly paced in some places, which you'll know if you follow me on Twitter.

It literally went from ooooh to meh to OH GOOD GOD. I'm so glad I stuck with it because when the action got started and the conspiracy starts unraveling, this get super good - so power on through!

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 loved the premise and the world building was really engaging - our narrator is a regular modern day teenager, so as you're learning more about what's going on, it is being explained to you in an engaging and accessible way which isn't something I find that often when reading fantasy books.

Other things I liked about this:

we have a bisexual main character who actually acknowledges her sexuality and is attracted to both a girl and a guy during the story without it being a main plot point.
There is a lesbian character too and the two of them flirt and I am here for it.
Our narrator's uncle is a gay man married to another gay man.
This book is super gay without being gay and I am HERE. FOR. IT.
Also the entire book is full of fascinating characters.

I'm so excited for book two and seeing where the story is going next.

In the object of fairness, here's what I didn't like I did mention at the start that I did debate DNFing this in the first half and that was down to the narration. There were times when Maddie's story telling was just a little repetitive and  I'm like Maddie, jeeez, get on with it and stop dwelling on stuff that isn't relevant right now. Other than that, this was great fun and I'm looking forward to reading Sara Holland's other books!