Havenfall by Sara Holland Pages: 320
Published by Bloomsbury YA on March 3, 2020
Series: Havenfall #1
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy & Magic
Source: Paperback ARC from Publisher
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...
Havenfall is the first book in the young adult fantasy series by the same name from author Sara Holland. I loved Havenfall. I think it has such a unique premise, and it was that setup that had me dying to read Havenfall. And I have to say, Sara Holland did a fantastic job with this world. Reading Havenfall completely lived up to it’s initial premise, and I am super excited to read the next book in the series.
In Havenfall we meet our main character Maddie. The highlight of Maddie’s year is the summer, when she gets to go visit her uncle who runs the Inn at Havenfall. Sounds pretty ordinary, doesn’t it? It is anything but ordinary. The Inn is kind of like a neutral sanctuary for all kinds of ancient worlds. There used to be many, many worlds, but over time some of the worlds were destroyed for one reason or another, and now there are four worlds- Byrn, Fiordenkill, Solaria, and Earth aka Haven. The inn houses doorways to each of the worlds, and each summer there is a summit that takes place between each of the worlds.
Maddie’s uncle is the gatekeeper of the doorways between the worlds, and Maddie has always longed to take over for his uncle. This summer is the start of our crazy adventure at the Inn at Havenfall. I loved the setup of the world. At the start of the book, Sara Holland does a fantastic job describing all of the worlds, and the people that inhabit those worlds. It never felt info-dumpy, all of it flowed well and was very useful in setting up the rest of the story. I really enjoyed Maddie and the journey that she is kind of abruptly thrust into.
Sara Holland does not hold any punches with Havenfall. This book made me fell a whole spectrum of emotions, from happy and excited to totally devastated. And the twists! Some of those twists took me completely by surprise, and the ending made me so anxious for the next book in the series! I need it right now. If you are a fan of young adult fantasy and love a unique world, Havenfall is a book you need to check out. I have purposefully been vague with the events of the book because going in kind of blind was a big factor to how much I loved this story. I think you will really enjoy it as well.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2020 New Release Challenge
- Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2020
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