Havenfall Book Review

Hello friends! Welcome to my Havenfall Book Review! I hope you’re all doing well this week, and that you’re excited about the festive season.

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Title: Havenfall

Author: Sara Holland

Rating: 4 Stars

Genre: Fantasy

Content Warnings: Death, kidnapping

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Date Published: 3 March 2020

Goodreads Description: 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…

I received a review copy from Jonathan Ball Publishers. All opinions are my own.

Review

Characters – 8/10

I think the things that made me like this book the most were the characters. I was instantly hooked and drawn in by the characters, especially Maddie and Brekken. Everything about them just drew me in and I instantly cared about them and about what happened to them. I would have liked to see a bit more of Taya on-page, but I enjoyed all of her interactions with Maddie and with Brekken.

Maddie was definitely a bit naive here and there, but she managed to piece things together quickly and stand her ground. Marcus was a bit of a mysterious character, and he was mainly absent for most of the book, but he was a good guiding figure for Maddy and I hope we see more of him and Graylin in the next book. Graylin must be protected at all costs.

Atmosphere – 7/10

Havenfull is a truly magical place. The lore and the worldbuilding all worked so well and made so much sense. I would have read 200 more pages of this book, and I hope this series continues.

I loved the mountain setting, the inn, the lake, everything. Holland describes the scenery in such a way that you wish you could see it. Havenfall is definitely one of my top places to go visit now (if I ever gain the ability to travel to fictional places).

Writing – 6/10

The writing is where things snagged for me. I found myself skipping over large parts of Maddie’s thoughts. She tends to go over and over things, which makes it difficult to read. The dialogue was on point, but I would have liked less internal waffle.

Plot – 6/10

The plot is pretty straightforward, as it is a typical YA fantasy. It’s not hard to guess who the actual villain is, but I love the setting and that makes up for it.

Intrigue – 7/10

Like I said, it was pretty straightforward. But the different worlds, cultures, magic and portals pulled me into this book. This could have easily been a 500-page fantasy novel about portal worlds and I would have still gobbled it up. Seriously, if anything, read this for the magic system alone.

Logic – 7/10

The magic system wasn’t overly complex, but I like that in a magic system. I don’t want to think too hard when reading magical books. The magic system has to make sense and has to be such an ingrained part of the world that it’s an entirely logical system. Havenfall has just that, and I am here for it.

Enjoyment – 8/10

It is safe to say that I genuinely enjoyed this book, and I would definitely read the sequel.

Let me know your thoughts on Havenfall (book review).

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