I did not finish the book. The writing style and content did not work for me. I found it hard to get into and would not recommend this title or purchase for my library.

Liked, but didn't love. The old-timey depiction of NYC was fun, but the characters and concepts didn't offer anything original or exciting. The biggest issue for me was that I saw the big twist coming from very early on, and then spent the entire rest of the book waiting for the rather dim MC to figure it out.

I don't know if it's because I've been feeling a reading slump coming on or not, but this book wasn't it for me :(

At first I was super interested - the first chapter is gripping and the overall vibes were AMAZING. Think Willow by Taylor Swift performed during the eras tour. However, the further in I got, the more bored I was. I lost interest in the mystery and felt like I was dragging my feet through mud in the middle and end.

I didn't despise this book, but I simply think it wasn't the time for me to read it. Maybe some day in the future I'll revisit it and have a better reading experience.

This book was a meh for me.
It was not good, it was not great. But it wasnt horrible for me. Basically it is one of those books you read and forget you actually read it.
Which made me sad because I really liked the promise of this book, and the gorgeous cover.

I did like that it started off with a bang, it just wasn't one that lasted. It felt like the thrill of this book died down way to quick for me to devour. I actually had to start this book twice because I lost interest in it and forgot I had it going.

I read this book in 2021, and it piqued my interest. The idea of witches, love, and murder all seemed like a match made in heaven. Sadly it fell a little short for me, and I believed it was because of the main character Francis. She made so many short-sighted mistakes and was overall annoying after a while. I finished it because of the plot. which I wish there was more of. The murder mystery aspect of the story is phenomenal and if it wasn't for the "love-triangle" this book would've been top-notch.

Hoping book 2 has more of a plot profile.

Welcome to my stop on Turn the Page Tours’ release celebration for The Witch Hunt, book two in The Witch Haven series! Today I’ll be sharing my review of the series but be sure to head over to my blog (link in bio) for a chance to win your very own copy of The Witch Hunt!

While this series is a little slower in its plot pacing, I appreciate the attention and detail that is in every page! I find that the slower tempo actually allows for the mystery plots to build and become even more exciting than a super fast pacing would accomplish. Slow paced books, when done successfully like The Witch Hunt and The Witch Haven have the potential to really enchant readers, as they have done to me!

I especially love the historical fiction and fantasy crossover elements in this series! Historical witches are (in my opinion) the most fun to read about, especially when they’re solving mysteries and discovering truths about their own powers. After the ending of The Witch Haven, I was so excited to jump straight into reading the sequel. Luckily, since I waited a year to start reading the series, I didn’t have to wait at all!

My Recommendation-
If you love reading witchy books during the fall months, now would be the perfect time to snag copies of The Witch Haven and The Witch Hunt! I would especially recommend this series to fans of The Discovery of Witches!

This YA story was the perfect read for this time of year, with its gothic atmosphere, mystery, and page-turning adventure.

It's 1911 New York, and 17-year-old Frances Hallowell works as a seamstress. It's long days, for very little pay, and she shares a room with other girls above the shop. Her mother has been taken away to a sanitorium, her brother was killed, and she expects that this will be her life forever. Until one night when the owner of the business comes in, drunk, while she's working back late by herself. He's on the verge of killing her for rejecting him, when suddenly there is a pair of sewing shears in his neck. She doesn't know who stabbed him, but it's clear she's in a lot of trouble.

Before the police can take her away, she's whisked off by a couple of nurses in a rickety ambulance, and her entire world as she knows it changes in an instant.

I loved everything about the Haxahaven school for witches, and the first half of the book was superb. I didn't enjoy the second half with the warring witches and warlocks quite as much—it felt a bit too predictable and not as well fleshed out as the first half. Still, I enjoyed the book overall and would certainly recommend it if you're in need of a mysterious witchy read.

Frances works in a sewing factory in 1911 America. Working and living conditions aren’t very good. She’s working late one night so she can finish an order that’s scheduled to be delivered the next morning when her boss rushes in to steal money from the till and then notices Frances. He tries to force himself on her and he’s choking her to hold her still. Frances is struggling for air when she suddenly feels an odd sensation in her fingers and hears a whoosh sound. Her boss gasps and lets her go because her scissors have somehow ended up embedded in his neck. It takes Frances a minute to catch her breath and notice that her scissors have killed him. She panics, throws up and decides that the only way to get out of this situation is to stage a crime scene. Her supervisor helps her. She’s picked up by two strangers taking her to a sanitarium but they’re actually witches taking her to a training school. Haxahaven is a school that helps young women use their magical skills to help them become better wives and mothers and conform to the early 1900’s society. Many of these girls also want to learn how to use their magical abilities to protect themselves. Frances and a couple of others sneak out to venture and meet Finn who says he’ll help them train and help Frances figure out what happened to Will, her deceased brother. An entire world opens up to the girls and they get involved in much more than they bargained for. 5 stars for this magical, tragic fantasy!

I absolutely loved this sequel! It’s rare that sequels live up to the first book but I think this is one that does! I read it during the spooky Season and it was the perfect time. A nice spooky witchy autumn read.

The Witch Haven and The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith are the first and second books in the young adult fantasy The Witch Haven series. As with most fantasy series the story in The Witch Haven series begins in the first book and picks up in the second so they do need to be read in order to be completely understood.

The story in The Witch Haven begins in 1911 in New York City where young Frances Hallowell is staying after the loss of her family. Frances is working as a seamstress with other young girls when one night she finds herself alone in the shop trying to finish up after the other girls have gone.

That night forever changes Frances’ life when her boss attacks her and ends up dead with Frances’s scissors protruding from his body. Luckily for Frances she finds herself heading to Haxahaven Sanitarium with two nurses instead of prison. Frances soon finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all but a school for witches.

When beginning The Witch Haven series I immediately found myself transported to the dingy, dark side of New York in 1911 and fell right into the story. The first book wasn’t without a few flaws in my opinion but it did hold my attention and make me want to come back for The Witch Hunt, the second of the series. Picking up The Witch Hunt however wasn’t the same engaging beginning as I found in the first book. The pacing seemed to be even slower than what I’d found in the first and I only found it to be so-so for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

“To be a witch is to have power in a world where women have none.”

I enjoyed this book the curious way it started, how Frances discovers she has magic to being whisked away to a hidden magic school for girls.
But she has so many questions and the mystery in the beginning. Enjoying the characters and the coven they are creating, set in the early 1910s.

The learning of magic and the different gifts each witch had was fascinating. Since all people are different it would make sense that magic would manifest differently for everyone. The cliffhanger at the end makes me happy I have The Witch Hunt that came out this week!

The Witch Haven
Published: 31st August 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Description
In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.
Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.
Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined?


YA Urban Historical Fantasy,

I loved the Witch Haven! It was the perfect book to slip me into that fall/Halloween witchy mood! The words are mystical and I was drawn into the story from the very start. I was really not expecting to like it as much as I did, it surprised me a lot! I loved Frances and our Haxahaven witches and of course Finn!! I can't wait to see where the second book goes!

This is a sequel, so there are spoilers from the first book below.

Frances has been working at Haxahaven for the past year and a half. She still struggles with the deaths she caused. And her magic isn't working right. She received an address in the mail. Since she was going to Paris with Maxine and Lena, Frances decides she will go to that address and see if the person can help her with her magic issues. She's also hoping to spend time with Oliver. The three take a long boat ride and arrive in Paris. They are staying with Maxine's family. Frances, Maxine, and Lena all work together to see what they can do. Frances learns that the veil is open and she and Finn are the cause of it. When boys start showing up murdered at a church, Frances is sure they are connected. There is a secret society of men and she just happens to find a person that can help her with that. But she doesn't want his help. There is another person that could maybe help, but he's not showing much interest in her. Frances wants to figure everything out on her own, but in the end, she'll need a lot of help. She will do anything to close the veil.

While I loved the magic in this duology, what I loved most were the relationships with the characters. I wanted to hate Finn, but I honestly liked him a lot. Maxine is definitely a favorite. The pacing was good throughout the book. I found myself reading longer than I planned.

I gave this book 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a physical arc for review.

I have always enjoyed historical type settings so I thought this one would be a fit even though I am not a huge YA fan, it really just depends. This one was pretty decent and I enjoyed it. I liked Frances and the other witches, What I thought might turn into a love triangle turned into something a lot different than I expected which I kind of liked actually. It made me very curious as to what will happen in the next book!

The Witch Haven tangles whimsical magic with historical fiction to form a captivating story about a girl’s journey. It is an adventure that will leave readers turning the pages, longing to see what will happen next.

Mini Review:
The Witch Haven is a thrilling fantasy about compassionate witches finding their was in a male-dominated society. With plenty of twists, this book will keep you turning pages! I recommend it for people who enjoy books with sisterly love and spellbinding magic told in an original way.

Full Review:
This book was so good! It pulled me right in with fast-paced action and amazing writing! The main character, Frances, had a raw and original voice that I loved reading. The writing took me into her head and there were great comparisons/similes.

The characters were great! They were unique and kind. I did have a few issues with some of the characters but not too many. I was obsessed with the pacing! It was exactly was I love, the speed of light.

The world building was fascinating! There were so many different spells and even though it’s set in 1911 New York, it felt like I was in a new world when magic was involved!

I fully recommend! There were beautiful sisterly relationships/found family and a spectacular magic system!

The Witch Haven released in August and I’ve been wanting to make progress with my ARC. I ended up buddy reading this one with a friend. I did enjoy the atmosphere and the story, but the beginning was really slow and I didn’t get all of the background information I was hoping for. The ending gets very intense though.

This was a really fun and interesting historical fiction with a magical twist! Magical schools are one of my favorite settings, and I really liked the school in this story! The characters were interesting and the mystery kept me intrigued the entire time, I'll definitely be recommending this story.

This was definitely an interesting book… But I found that it didn’t really hold my attention. In fact, I don’t think I could tell you what happened in it even now… Which is unfortunate as the concept was very interesting for me!