Synopsis 

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

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 . . .

Sara Holland takes the lush fantasy that captured readers in Everless and Evermore and weaves it into the real world to create a wholly captivating new series where power and peril lurk behind every door.

Review

Maddie Morrow has one wish in the world, that when she comes of age her Uncle will put her forward to become the new Innkeeper at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects other worlds to earth, so when her father tries to send her to her grandma’s for the Summer Maddie doesn’t hesitate to get on the wrong bus and go to her favourite place in the world instead. But something is amiss at Havenfall, and before Maddie knows it she finds herself responsible for the whole of Havenfall. This summer could change everything and Maddie might have the weight of the world on her shoulders…literally.

Having never picked up a book by the author before I had little expectations going into this but it met every single one and more. With some beautifully descriptive writing, intriguing and likeable characters and a storyline with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very last pages I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Havenfall.

Maddie was great perspective to read from. After spending most of her youth in the walls of Havenfall it is the one place she feels safe, the one place where she feels like she fits in, home. Her dream in life is to become the Innkeeper after her Uncle dies, the person who runs the inn and attends meetings with delegates from the other worlds. She has an awful lot of unanswered questions in her life and this number grows exponentially over the summer. I really enjoyed seeing her character growth, she gets put in a hard situation and seeing her deal with it, not always in the right way but who are we kidding? She’s a teenager! She goes from someone who likes to stand on the sidelines to someone who, although still shies from the spotlight, realises that being in it is what comes with leadership. The other characters are all side characters in my opinion, some of them have a bigger role to play but they are all well developed.

The world that Holland builds was a truly beautiful one. Havenfall, an Inn in the middle of the Colorado mountains is the worlds best kept secret because underneath it are tunnels which lead to magical worlds. Some have been closed over time either due to the world ceasing trading or it being forced shut as in the case of Solaria, a once peaceful world who’s shapeshifing people revolted, and because of this were banished from the Inn. The only two working doors lead to Bryn a world full of elemental magic, its people only exist because the Silver Prince managed to create a barrier between them and the deathly weather and Fiordenkill, a world covered in Ice and snow where soldiers ride of great wolves and the aurora burns bright in the sky. The author manages to bring these worlds to life with her writing, almost making them seem like places you could hop on a plane and visit. Haven, or Earth as we call it is the only connected world with no magic which makes it the perfect neutral place for the other worlders to converge.

The romance wasn’t overwhelming in this book by any means. We get a little insight at the start and then it tapers off until the end of the book. As the reader you can see potential relationships blossoming and I would love to see some of these focused on more in book two.

This book was full to the brim with twists and turns, you are never sure who you can trust and who is working against Maddie which makes for a page gripping read. There were some I felt predictable, but the author still manages to make you question your beliefs. My only issue is I felt the ending fell a bit flat, it certainly set itself up for a sequel but I just didn’t feel the emotional impact I think the author was going for with certain reveals. I also found the authors writing of ‘battle’ like scenes to be a bit bland. I could’t really picture the images in my head and it all moved a little fast for me. That being said I enjoyed the book as a whole and would definitely pick up book two and the authors other works.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44281011-havenfall

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DVfWOw

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/havenfall-sara-holland/1130768988?ean=9781547603794

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/author/sara-holland/id1147058533

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Havenfall-Sara-Holland/9781526614889?ref=grid-view&qid=1575672245512&sr=1-1

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sara_Holland_Havenfall?id=l62qDwAAQBAJ