Where to start? Where to start? This book didn’t really do anything for me. It was your average historical fantasy with some paranormal fantasy. The premise sounded interesting but the execution was lackluster: the writing was simple, I didn’t like the pacing of the plot and don’t get me started on the characters. Long story short, I didn’t like most of them. 100 pages in and I felt attached to no one. Sure, I can empathize with the situations these girls have been in to have made them end up in Haxahaven School for Witches or Frances grief but in the end I felt no connection. If I had to choose a favourite out of them though, I would choose either Maxine or Lena.

Another thing is that this book is supposed to be set in 1911 New York City and it gave off the dark vibes that come with the times but I never really felt emerged in it’s atmosphere. It was written in a too modern writing style/dialogue for me to get into 1911. You could have taken the some of the scenes from the book, placed them in modern day New York and never really be able to tell the difference but that’s just me. You can attribute the dark vibes to the fact that it’s fantasy. Though I did enjoy the references to some historical events. I was in US History last year and in this book they mentioned a horrific event called the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (which in their time happened a few months ago) and I was not expecting to see an event we learned about in a book. I don’t know why.

Overall, it was a meh book.

I so wanted to like this book. The setting and historical references drew me in at the beginning and the story started off with a good deal of tension. But it seemed to fall flat a third of the way in and the stakes for Francis didn’t ring true. The plot became a bit sleepy and I could not get back into the story. There is definite audience for this book. Witches, magic, good vs. evil. It was just not to my taste.
,

Review will be posted on 10/7/21
The year is 1911 and Frances lives a pretty normal life as a seventeen year old seamstress. One night her boss, clearly intoxicated, tries to assault her, and ends up dead with her sewing shears in his neck. The thing is Frances didn't attack him with her shears! Much to her surprise, they flew across the room.....like magic. Before the police take her into custody, two nurses whisk her away to Haxahaven Sanatarium. They tell everyone that Frances needs treatment immediately as she has tuberculosis. Clearly Haxahaven isn't a hospital, instead it's an academy where girls like her can learn how to harness their magical powers in a safe way. While there, Frances is excited to learn about magic, but instead is disappointed by the school's lessons. They focus on magical housekeeping and how to suppress their innate abilities. She wants to harness her powers, not limit them and in turn finds herself gravitating towards Finn, a friend of her deceased brother, who has magical abilities. Finn says he can teach her how to perform the magic she is interested in as well as help her figure out how her brother died. Things get even more complicated when different magical leaders in the city learn about Frances's power and want her for themselves. The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith is an enchanting witchy tale for fans of historical fantasies. It's a great book to get lost in, especially this time of the year.

Frances is a really fun heroine in The Witch Haven. Despite the year being 1911, Frances is ahead of her time and finds strength with the other women at Haxahaven. It's interesting how the school wants her to to be a "good little witch," but Frances has bigger plans. She is motivated by the mystery surrounding her brother's death and wants answers as she is getting cryptic messages from someone at school about it. She hopes that magical Finn can help her get some answers, not to mention she has been seeing him in her dreams! Cue the drama!

There's a lot of action in The Witch Haven surrounding the various subplots and especially towards the end when it involves a big showdown. The plot definitely kept me flipping the pages in addition to the historical setting of 1911. That definitely added to the drama and the atmosphere of the novel. Plus, The Witch Haven takes place at a boarding school, so if you are like me, you'll enjoy that setting.

Like I said, October would be the perfect month to curl up with this witchy tale. It was a perfect fit for me, because I wanted a spooky read, but nothing that would be fall into the horror genre. I recommend The Witch Haven to fans of Libba Bray. So, have you read The Witch Haven? Is it on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Let me start by saying that the writing in this book is fantastic. There were so many parts I wanted to highlight. But the plot was not there. I expected more the entire time I was reading. The ending twist wasn't satisfying to say the least. I just wanted more from this book, and sadly didn't get it. If there is a sequel will I read it? Undecided. If this author writes more unrelated books will I read them? Yes.

DNF at 30% after second attempt to read through:

THIS IS ENTIRELY MY OPINION AND SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A CONDEMNATION OF THE AUTHOR OR GENRE.

I really wanted to like this story - it started off with a huge bang and I was immediately drawn into Frances' story. However, the trauma that the incident invokes doesn't feel warranted - rather it feels that Smith had used the fear of attack as a cheap tactic. From there, the plot goes static, with descriptions of a supposingly frightening stalker and boring classes that made me wonder if I had missed something important. I even restarted THE WITCH HAVEN at one point, to see if I had just missed something important or just wasn't giving it my full attention. Unfortunately, at this point, I can confirm that it is not myself that is found lacking. Maybe I could try THE WITCH HAVEN again should I ever run out of other things to read.

**3.5 Stars**
Francis was trying her hardest to get through her tasks, attempting to finish a coat for a client, when the owner of the shop she works at storms in and tries to attack her only to be killed by a flying pair of scissors. Next thing Francis knows it that the police are questioning her for murder and some strange nurses are swooping in to take her to a mysterious asylum for a condition she does not have. Francis has to learn to navigate a new world and powers she does not understand while at the same time try to solve her brother's murder.

I was pretty sure this was leaning into love triangle territory and I was not super thrilled but it did not really make it there which was surprising. One relationship did not really exist in the romantic sense and then another was a full blown intense thing within a short period of time, including a super awkward sex scene (that almost felt like assault to me- like it is your duty, close your eyes and bear it kind skeeviness). While romance was a thing in the story, I felt like the friendships were the main focus and I liked them much better than any romance the book offered.

I think this is a standalone story, but there is something that occurs right at the end that makes me question that- either there will be another book or the author likes to mess with the minds of her characters/reader. Overall this was an interesting alternate history story with a completely new take on how magic occurs that was very thought provoking.

This year, I started celebrating ~spooky season~ on August 31st, and was already building out my autumnal TBR weeks before then. When I was pitched the opportunity to read The Witch Haven as an ARC, I knew it would be an amazing story to officially kick off my autumn themed TBR. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, so a paranormal, witchy boarding school story set in the early 1900s sounded right up my alley!

The story follows Frances, a girl living in New York in 1911, who is reeling after the death of her brother and working as a dressmaker in a small shop. When confronted with a dangerous and extreme situation, her magic is awakened and before she knows it she is swept away to a boarding school for magical young women disguised as a sanitarium, learning how to control and repress her powers, and getting into all manner of trouble on the side as she explores the magical world running parallel to the “normal” New York.

Historical fantasy is such an interesting genre because often the fantasy element is the main plot driver with the historical setting as more of a backdrop, but I felt The Witch Haven really did a great job of having the era actually influence the fantasy elements of the plot. Most notably, the role of women in the magical community and within the walls of Haxahaven (the boarding school Frances attends) mirroring the frustrations and challenges that Frances faced before when her life was “normal.” She craved freedom, yet she’s stuck in courses that focus on using her magic to complete domestic task and make her future husband’s life easier. She yearns for power, yet the headmistress of the school is all about control, control, control, teaching the students to be scared of their magic and the volatile outcomes that come from diving deep into it. Yet the women on either side of the spectrum believe that the way they view magic is empowering women, and they can all be exclusionary and harmful in their own way. I really appreciated this nuanced approach to mixing the fantasy and historical genres and felt that Frances’ story did a good job exploring these mixed messages and complexities.

I also enjoyed that this story centered around a core mystery, and that the mystery was relevant to Frances’ life both pre and post magical knowledge, and it tied the before and after together. While some of the twists were predictable, it was still a fast paced and enjoyable ride, and the various deaths and betrayals carried emotional weight to them. The last 30% or so of the book was packed with action, so much so that I actually wish I had gotten a bit more filler in the middle of the story of Frances’ life and relationships developing. As far as I know there hasn’t been a sequel announced, but I do think the story left the mystery open ended enough to warrant the continuation of Frances’ journey without feeling incomplete, and it could definitely still work as a standalone (although I would love to read this as a series!)

Overall: I’m really enjoying this recent trend of historical fantasy books focused around witches lately, especially as they so often tackle feminist themes so well (this one actually reminded me a bit of The Once and Future Witches, which I read last fall). I am also always here for more historical fiction in general, so I’m crossing my fingers that this turns into a series!

The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith has kicked off a bountiful season of books featuring witches. If this book is any indication to go by, then I have some great reading ahead of me. As it turns out, I really, really enjoyed The Witch Haven. This book nearly had it all for me. Suffice to say, I cannot wait to see what’s next — and if there’s going to be a sequel.

Smith’s debut is set in New York City in 1911. It follows Frances Hallowell who is a seamstress just trying to make ends meet while also dealing with the grief of losing her brother. One night, Frances is attacked by the shop’s owner. It is like a switch is flicked. She snaps and uses magic that she did not even know existed, much less knew that she had. And so, Frances is whisked away to Haxahaven which is a school for witches. Frances is excited, but it turns out, school still follows the rules of patriarchy and society. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing within the city and a fight for ultimate power is about to break out.

I thought that The Witch Haven was an atmospheric read that got me in that exact mindset I want to be in for autumn. This book captivated my attention from page one and I did not want to stop reading. Also, I really wanted a sequel (just looked on goodreads and see that this is going to be a duology) immediately because I have to know what happens next. As for the romance, I was not a super huge fan — it did not have the sparks or burn that I like. The friendship bits were superb though. Also, the diversity on the page was interesting — at one scene we see white privilege explained. Also, I did want to note, one of the characters is Indigenous and she attended a boarding school meant to take away her culture. I can’t speak for the rep, just wanted to note it.

If you’re looking for a captivating read that is historical fantasy with a strong young lady as lead, pick up The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith pronto.

Witch Haven is a story that takes some magic, some mystery and a setting of historical New York.

I really liked the plot of Witch Haven. There were parts that felt like dragged just a little but I also understand why that time was needed. I really liked the ending, even though it felt like a trickle and then a flood. The last 20% of the book was like okay here we go on this wild ride. I don’t want to give anything away about it but I really loved how some things were done. I am a very cautious and distrusting book reader though. So I would be like, wait Frances think about this first.

Frances is someone who is lost in grief. She lost her brother and then lost her mother. We see this in her actions. She often seems very careless as she is searching for her brother's killer but it also makes her feel purposeful. It’s filling that void that needs to find meaning.

The world is really interesting. This is 1911 New York but I don’t feel thrust into the era, it’s more of a backdrop. I did find Haxahaven’s mission to fit in with the period.

So one thing I love in a book is a solid friendship. Frances' friendship with Maxine and Lena is not perfect and that’s what I like most about it. Calling one another out for not understanding. I liked how they were all from different backgrounds and helped each other understand that.

I enjoyed Witch Haven and I have to say I think the ending is what made the book for me. So since I can’t give anything away, you just have to read and find out for yourself.

In this historical fiction, taking place in 1911, Frances discovers she has magical powers after being attacked by her boss. Having killed him, she must flee, and when an opportunity to go to an asylum for tuberculosis victims appears, she jumps at the chance. But once she gets to the asylum, she discovers it isn’t an asylum at all, but a magic school. While attending the school and learning her magic, she finds herself stuck in a battle between witches and wizards.

This book was good! I loved the main character and her personality. I’m obsessed with magic schools and books taking place in them so I was so excited to find out that this had that element to it. It was so exciting and the magic system was very cool. It wasn’t my favorite book I’ve ever read but it was definitely good!

This one is hard to review because while I appreciate how atmospheric it was, everything else fell flat.

It promised a witch academy and a battle between witches and wizards, and while it half-heartedly delivered on the latter, it was not enough for me to like this. The Witch Haven mainly focuses on Frances trying to figure out who killed her brother, but that isn't even interesting. All we get is Frances complaining about things. She makes horrible decisions, and if things don't go her way or someone disagrees with her, she gets mad and doubles down on her bad decision. Finn was annoying, and I knew how his character was going to go within his first few appearances.

Frances claims to understand how others feel but doesn't actually show it. It's as if she thinks saying it over and over will make it true. Also, there was no 'sisterhood'; it's just Frances going around bullying the others into doing what she wants just because she doesn't like school.

I wish I had more positive things to say about this one, but I just didn't like it. I still think you should give it a chance if the synopsis is something that intrigues you.

The Witch Haven is a young adult historical paranormal by debut author Sasha Peyton Smith. As soon as I saw this book was described as The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy I was all in! And it did not disappoint. I believe there will be follow up novels following these characters, though I don’t know that for certain, but the ending of The Witch Haven gave me good reason to believe that we have not seen the last of Frances and her gang of friends (and love interests), which makes me very very happy.

I really enjoyed everything about this book. I loved the characters. There are both good and bad, and all the shades of morally grey in between. I also loved that some of the characters totally surprised me! I loved the historical setting (the book is set in New York City in the early 1900s) and the boarding school setting, and I am really hoping that we get more books in this world with these characters. Overall, I felt like the pacing in this book was good. There were a few moments and scenes that felt like they dragged a bit, but whenever overall there was so much happening and so many twists and turns that The Witch Haven had no problem holding my attention throughout the story. I will note that there is a love triangle present in the book, so beware if that is not your cup of tea, but I really dug it!

In the Witch Haven Frances is whisked away to a secret boarding school for witches after she discovers she has powers, and the plot escalates from there. I enjoyed the themes that were woven throughout the story. Sasha Peyton Smith explores the ideas of morality in this have vs. have not world, as well as the bonds of friendship. I loved the whole gang of characters and the plot kept me guessing up until the end. This is a great witchy read that will appeal to both character driven readers and plot driven readers!

4.5/5 stars

******My review contains spoilers*******



The Witch Haven was not my favorite book. I had high hopes and expectations for this book as it contained most of my favorite things- New York, NY in the past, and witches- but alas, my expectations were not met. I was hoping for feminist Harry Potter meets Shadowhunters full of magic and dark secrets and an underground society in New York and I got a *little* bit of magic, a touch of New York, and a sprinkle of feminism.
While there was nothing terribly wrong with this book, it just did not hold me. The characters were okay. I liked the side characters a lot more than the main character, Frances. I found Frances to be dense, one-sided, oblivious and overall annoying. Her obsession with the resurrection spell despite everyone telling her it was bad idea was infuriating. And her not seeing her brother's killer despite them being in her life was dumb. I called that from the very beginning. I won't blame Frances for that though, that's an issue of weak writing. I wanted more suspense, more suspects, and a more developed mystery.
I have noticed a trend recently of female leads being weak and blind and easily manipulated and it needs to STOP. If a character starts out weak and manipulated but learns to stand up for themselves that is fine. It's good character development, and it's inspiring. But the ones who stay weak and blind annoy me. Witch Haven falls victim to this trope, sadly.
The side characters were good. Lots of female empowerment and girls supporting girls. I just wanted more.
The romance was terrible. Zero substance, full on InstaLove, and not enough scenes together. The date scene was forced and awkward. The love triangle was forced and cringy. None of it worked.
The plot was just meh. I did not like that Haxahaven was just a fancy cage to make respectable wives, I did not like that the girls had to sneak out to practice real magic, and that most of said magic was basic and boring.

I saw most of the plot twist coming from a mile away and not because of well placed foreshadowing but because of cheap tropes and predictability.

A YA historical fantasy that explores gender roles in a time when women had little power—but some of them have magic. Frances is desperate to uncover the truth of who murdered her brother, but she’s almost given up hope. No one seems to know anything. Her mother has been sent to an asylum due to her grief, and Frances is working as a seamstress, a job she knows she is lucky to have, despite the difficult working conditions. When Frances’s boss attacks her, she fights back in a way she never knew she was capable of, and her whole life changes. She finds herself in a haven for witches, disguised as an asylum.

This book is a mystery at its heart, but its main themes highlight the powerlessness women felt at the turn of the 20th century. They faced few prospects beyond marriage (and little autonomy within marriage), poor working conditions, and very few rights, not even the right to vote. All of these issues and more are illustrated throughout the book, but it was the symbolism of something that happens toward the end of the story that was most powerful to me. Of course, I can’t tell you what that is because it would be a major spoiler, but suffice it to say things get very messy in the last quarter of the book, and I didn’t want to stop reading! The eventual ending is both exciting and empowering! Even though Goodreads doesn’t list this book as a series, the ending leaves no question that there is a future book in the works.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Initial Thoughts
I couldn’t wait to start this book. I’ve had my eye on it for a while now since I love historical fantasy.

Some Things I Liked
Historical fantasy. It’s basically my favorite genre. I love the idea of marrying fantasy elements and history. This book was a perfect blend. And, to top it all off, it was set in a city that I love and loved reading about.
Magic system. I also really liked the magic system in this book. Witchcraft and magic explained some of the world but it wasn’t a magic “fix it” for everything. I loved that about it.

Series Value
I think the ending of this book leaves the reader wanting more. I can definitely see more books being set in this series and I could also imagine more books set in this world, revolving around different characters. I would keep reading.

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a perfect debut and I can’t wait to see more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was an easy read, and it was a familiar concept that would definitely appeal to a younger crowd. It follows the main character who accidentally murders with magic and then is sent to an all-girls school that pretends to be a sanitorium to hide the truth. The truth is that it is teaching the girls there how to use their magic for basic things like household chores. It is set in the early 1900s, just before the suffrage movement.
However, for a lot of this book, it feels like potential concepts are given but never completed. The representation is not great. The singularly identified black character is the cook in the school kitchen. The character who is supposed to be Native American/Indigenous mentions experiencing reforms schools and going back to her tribe, but it feels like a way to explain character traits, rather than truly investing in what that means for the time frame. I can’t even recall the character explicitly identifying as such, rather the reader has to infer what those clues mean. And, the one character that has LGTBQ+ identification is only fleshed out more than the others cause she helps progress a lot of the conflict further. Nothing is explored in any significant depth, even with the main character, and the premise that got her into this situation is quickly forgotten for easing the story on. The only detail that is truly thought out is the romance for the main character, and even that leaves something to be desired.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

“I find comfort in being a thing that is feared.”

The Witch Haven was just the right blend of intriguing characters and an atmospheric setting. My favorite thing about it was the historical element and how the author fit witches into actual events that happened in NY.

The characters were a delight, and I think Maxine was my favorite, so I’m excited to dig into this B&N edition of the book that has an extra bit of Maxine’s backstory included. Frances was so funny and naive, and I found her single minded obsession with discovering what happened to her brother interesting to watch, kind of like a train wreck. Finn’s description makes him sound like a haunted Victorian boy and yet I was still charmed.

I love when authors give little breadcrumbs that make it easy to guess what’s going to happen but then throw in a couple wrenches that make you doubt yourself. A very ‘I should have seen this coming but I was hoping I was wrong’ vibe. And the last page of this book shook me. Shook me. I need more.

Overall, this book felt like the culmination of gaslight gatekeep girlboss, and if you like witchy books and characters discovering their powers, I’d definitely recommend.

This was a good YA fantasy novel with lots of twists!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and Turn the Pages Tours for this Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review. Receiving these materials in no way impacted my review.


Please visit my blog for a full review of this spooky autumnal book!
http://sltrbooks.home.blog/2021/09/02/the-witch-haven-arc-review/

The Witch Haven is coming out right at the beginning of spooky season and it couldn’t be better timing. Add it to your witchy, spoopy tbr my friends because this was quite the story. It’s atmospheric, dark, and filled to the brim with magic.

Frances is whisked away to Haxahaven following a traumatizing incident and introduced to a world of magic she could never have imagined. At Haxahaven she meets a whole school full of witches, like herself, and begins learning to control her magical gift. While the school focuses mainly on little expenditures of magic, like sewing and household chores, Frances is much more interested in the immense power running through her veins and how she can harness it to communicate with her recently departed brother. With the help of Finn (the guy who appears in her dreams and convinces her he can teach her how to contact her brother) and two close friends, Frances embarks on an action packed journey.

I quite enjoyed the characters in The Witch Haven. Frances is a strong MC. She is driven, passionate, curious, and incredibly powerful. She is loyal to her friends and her family – though her obsession with seeing her brother again can be blinding at times. Her friends are absolutely magnificent. Maxine and Lena are supportive and just as fierce as Frances. Maxine was my favorite. She knows what she wants, what she deserves, and what she is worth, and accepts nothing less. Finn, the love interest is incredibly mysterious which makes him all the more intriguing.

The only thing I didn’t love about The Witch Haven is that the middle seemed to slow down and drag in places, mainly in the middle of the story. So much happens in this book, and I loved the overall story. The blend of historical fiction, secret magical societies, and an underlying mystery to be solved – immaculate! The ending didn’t take me completely by surprise, but I thought it was well done and believable.