"This atmospheric female-fronted fantasy simmers with secrets, struggles and Soul-eating beasts"
March 2020 Book of the Month
Havenfall, the first installment of a new series from Everless author Sara Holland, is a heady blend of hidden worlds at war and ancient magic that sees a teenage girl compelled to summon superhuman strength.
Maddie has always loved spending summers at her Uncle Marcus’s mountain-set Havenfall Inn. To outsiders, Havenfall is just another small town in the Rockies. To those in the know, it’s a hidden haven between volatile ancient worlds, “a peaceful, magical crossroads” with the Inn “the one place everyone can intermingle.” As Innkeeper, Marcus is responsible for upholding peace between these worlds. “To be Innkeeper requires courage, diplomacy, and the will to carry out the greater good”, he counsels, knowing Maddie aspires to take over from him some day. That day comes quicker than planned when the gateway to Solaria is opened, which means, “nothing at all is between us and a world full of monsters.” With Marcus rendered unconscious by a Soul-eater just ahead of a peace summit, Maddie must take his place, for “the peace of the realms depends on it going smoothly.”
The book has a brooding build-up, with snaking sentences, bountiful backstory detail, and a slow-build sense of menace, mystery and romantic tension that’s shattered by screams when the Soul-eater attacks. With the realms now unhinged, Maddie has a swathe of in-your-face threats to deal with, and her epic story has much to appeal to fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo.
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Mystical and dangerous, this book is full of shocking truths, intriguing characters, and beautiful descriptions. You will face otherworldly creatures and enemies in disguise. Be careful who you trust.
Maddie is the niece of the legendary Innkeeper of Havenfall, a gateway to other worlds that are shrouded in mystery. When something escapes from another world and Maddie's mother is sent to prison, our heroine flees the city to the only place she feels safe - Havenfall. But when a monster attacks her uncle in Havenfall, she is forced to become Innkeeper and finds her world is spiralling into danger. She's forced to make a decision that could change her future and everyone she cares about too. This book is not like any book I've read before.... Read Full Review
Sara Holland has created in ‘Havenfall’ a new and exciting magic that immerses the reader into its addictive, exhilarating story. A thoroughly entertaining novel!
Sara Holland has created in Havenfall a new and exciting magic that immerses the reader into its addictive, exhilarating story. I absolutely loved the wonderful world of Haven and the mysterious people who inhabit it. From the frosty delegates from Fiordenkill to the fiery councillors from Byrn, every character adds to the enchanting atmosphere of the novel.
Reading the book, you are immediately introduced to Maddie. Bright and ambitious, but disillusioned with life in the outside world, Maddie is headed to Havenfall. It is the inn where her uncle lives, where she has spent every summer for her whole life, and the place where alternate worlds collide.... Read Full Review
Keeps you guessing through the entire book. I could not put it down! The best fantasy book I have read for a long time.
Havenfall is amazing. It is full of fantasy and mystery and is impossible to put down. We are introduced to three ancient realms: Byrn, Fiordenkill and Solidaria; and Earth is called Haven. Each is perfectly explained and are super easy to imagine. This adds to the capturing nature of the book, you always want to find out more. Maddie is a fantastic character, who you instantly bond with. You see the events exactly as she does, making the book really exciting. Havenfall itself is so intriguing and its guests are as well, making it an absolute delight to read. I could not put it down! The mysterious characters make it a page-turner and they keep you guessing the entire time.... Read Full Review
