Series: Havenfall #1
Release Date: March 3rd 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books
Pages: 320
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me an E-ARC to review through the Fantastic Flying Book Club.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Synopsis

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 . . .

Review

I read and loved Sara Holland’s Everless a while back (I still need to get round to Evermore!) so I was really intrigued when I heard she was coming out with a new series set in a completely new world. Havenfall is the story of Maddie Marrow a young girl who spends her summers at the Havenfall inn – a sanctuary between worlds. She hopes one day to inherit this inn from her Uncle, but when a dead body is discovered and things start to go wrong, Maddie has to race to uncover the truth behind the goings on in Havenfall.

I always thought the concept for Everless was really unique and I felt the same way about Havenfall. The idea of a sanctuary between worlds was so fascinating and Sara Holland does an excellent job building this world for the reader to sink into. Holland has a really gorgeous writing style and it’s so easy to get wrapped up in her writing. I did feel the story was a bit slower paced, lots of the book is taken up my introducing the world and the characters so it is much more slow burn.

Maddie is a really interesting protagonist and I liked her as a character. There’s a bit of romance in the story and I enjoyed this because it didn’t take away from the main plot too much. The story touches on a variety of themes and has a diverse cast of characters. It also had a few surprising twists towards the end that I didn’t see coming. Overall it was a really enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series. It also has a completely stunning cover and I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy.

If you’re a fan of Sara Holland’s Everless duology or you’re looking for an exciting new fantasy series to start, this is definitely one to pick up!