Young adult
Havenfall
by Sara Holland
Quick take
Your magical fantasy with nostalgic-vibes. A peaceful paradise is rocked by evil, throwing a young hero into action.
Good to know
First in series
Magical
Graphic violence
Murder
Synopsis
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...
Free sample
Get an early look from the first pages of Havenfall.
Why I love it
Lily Philpott
@lilyphilpott
Sara Holland's Havenfall is my ideal spring book. As the world emerges from the winter chill, I want to be reading something a little magical and a little dark, as I prepare for a muddy spring and the heat of summer. Havenfall delivers on all counts.
The book revolves around Maddie Morrow, who, on the run from a difficult family situation, heads into the mountains of Colorado to spend the summer with her uncle at Havenfall, an inn that straddles and provides sanctuary for warring magical realms. In Havenfall, with her handsome friend Brekken at her side, Maddie feels like the most complete version of herself, basking in the freedom the inn’s magic provides. This summer, however, things are changing for good: The refuge at Havenfall is disrupted by a grisly murder, and with her uncle in a magical coma, Brekken suspiciously missing, and beasts prowling the grounds of the inn, it's up to Maddie to keep the peace and protect Havenfall at all costs.
Stuffed full of romance, magic, and an intricate mystery that keeps you guessing, this is the kind of book you’ll miss your subway stop for. I loved Maddie's tenacity, her capacity for love, and the world she inhabits. If you love a dark fantasy world where nothing is quite as it seems, Havenfall is the book for you this spring.