This is quickly becoming one of my favorite witchy series! With relatable and well developed characters, an atmospheric Paris setting, and all the friendship and romance you could want! I love how believable the magic elements are and how they flow seamlessly throughout the story. The suspense is also woven well and not just thrown in as an afterthought.

I enjoyed this book far more than its predecessor. Perhaps this is because I could tell right off the bat that Finn was going to be a villain and I hated that the majority of Book 1 spent time fawning over him and trying to make us care for him that I started to get annoyed with Frances for having feelings for him.

This book was fun because it gave us relationship building, mystery, snooping around, and a couple of fun moments in Paris. I adore Oliver and was so glad that there was no intention of creating a "love triangle" in this book, which would have knocked it down about 2 stars.

Overall, there still was some wiggle room for improvement to make this a top tier book, but overall I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who was on the fence after the first book.

Maybe it's special because I finished it while at YALLFest but I loved this one!!!
The sequel to the witch haven did not disappoint at all I thought it was even better than the first.
In The Witch Hunt, Frances is now a professor at Haxahaven but something is amiss with her magic. She goes to Paris with Maxine and Lena, but she's really hoping she can fix her magic. After reconnecting with an old friend 😉, they soon find out something even more sinister is going on in the depths of Paris.
Sasha Peyton Smith is no stranger to high stakes, and that is evident by yet another absolutely heart breaking finale.
I still go back and forth on how I feel about the ending, because it doesn't feel done. If there's a book three then I'll be okay but SASHA IT CANT END THIS WAY 😭 I mean it can and it did but still! Maybe I just like when everything is tied up neatly, but I'm hoping it's just leaving it open for a third book or novella or something.
This title is available now. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a digital copy of this ARC

Thank you NetGalley, Sasha Peyton Smith, and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I LOVED The Witch Haven and honestly enjoyed this one just as much! I think that the setting being changed to Paris in this one made it seem unique and kept me intrigued the entire time. I loved the characters, once more, and the romance(s). The ending was perfect and even better than I could imagined! I think that this book wrapped up things really nicely and gave Frances a satisfying story. I highly recommend this book - and the first one if you haven’t read it!

I really enjoyed the first book, so I was so excited to pick this one up! Although it was much slower for me than the first book, I really like how the author expanded upon the world and the story. I still really enjoyed the writing and the characters in this book though.

First off, can I say how grateful I am that this book started right where it left off? I mean.. kisses to he most high. We jumped right back into the story and it sweeps you away back into that magical space. Paris, the magical school, Francis Maxine and Lena right?

Ok, this book was almost a solid 4 stars for me. But the last 35% of the book ruined that. Let me explain. Flynn, yes, absolutely, all the things. Yeah he killed Francis’ brother, but what morally gray character hasn’t done something shady and then received their redemption from it?

Olli.. the nice guy. Anyone else feel like even from the first book, that he and Francis relationship felt forced. Like Francis was making herself like/love him because her feelings were hurt over Flynn? No? Just me? Ok.

There’s still some things that I didn’t quite understand like the veil, it’s origins and things surrounding that but otherwise the first 65% of the book was solid. Beautifully written, and extremely engaging.

But… that last bit… oh that last bit. All I have to ask is why? We started so strong, just to end it on a lie? I don’t understand… Le sigh.

The Witch Hunt picked right back up with Frances from the end of the first book.

And what a wild ending it was. Smith wasted no time in delving straight into the action in this second book and I loved it. This book follows Frances and her fellow witches to the luxuriant streets of Paris where new secrets, heart break and dangerous magic jumps up at every corner.

The author has a very stunning writing style. Smith's prose is very lyrical and it's gorgeous to read. The author also thrives in her characterisation. Her characters are very nuanced and it makes you like them alot. As usual I loved Frances and really enjoy her as a main character. Her relationship with Maxine and Lena is so wholesome and, as side characters they've really cemented their place in the story.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. Having adored Witch Haven. This book was perfect for the Halloween season and I recommend the series if you're looking for a nice, witch-magic read.

The Witch Hunt is a sequel from the first book Witch Haven. This time we follow Frances and her witch friends Lena and Maxine in the streets of Paris as they helped Frances find answers to why her magic is not behaving as it usually does and at the same time unraveling family secrets, long lost love, curses, family reunions and most of all fighting dark and evil magic that were dangerously waiting for them.

I love Witch Haven and so I was beyond excited to receive a copy of The Witch Hunt from Netgalley to review! The magical atmosphere of The Witch Haven and the Witch Hunt in general were so intense that it gave me the excitement that was so binding from the very first page to the end. The love triangle between Oliver, Frances and Finn was very good in all aspects! Villain and hero all fighting for the love of the bad ass young witch, I mean, just take that plus all the heart racing hunt between good and evil was like fireworks. I would not mind having the gift to levitate things here and there! Some say it was like a magical trip to Paris and it was indeed! The ending- I do not even know what to make of it. It was a great wrapped up coming from the first book. It was both sweet and sad but ultimately satisfying. I have come to love the characters and I can definitely say that this witch duo book is worth all the time and probably a repeat read in the future!

Let me start by saying this is not due to Sasha. I've been in a awful book funk and can't seem to get into this one. It's not her writing or the story it's self, It is 100% me right now. So do to that, I do not feel that I am fit to give an honest review.

Months after the devastating battle between the Sons of St. Druon and the witches of Haxahaven, Frances has built a quiet, safe life for herself, teaching young witches and tending the garden within the walls of Haxahaven Academy. But one thing nags; her magic has begun to act strangely. When an opportunity to visit Paris arises, Frances jumps at the chance to go, longing for adventure and seeking answers about her own power.

Friendships, suspense, and romance all woven intricately together - I enjoyed this sequel as much as its predecessor.
Set in 1913, our witches set sail from New York to France. Aside from visiting Paris, Frances hoped to find solution to get her magic back. Instead, she got more than she bargained for. The new characters add depth to the story and suddenly everything that has happened in Frances' life makes sense. The prose is lovely. Again, Frances as a main character and her relationship with Maxine and Lena shined the brightest. Finn was a great character too,

While I didn't love the first book in this series, the end of it set up the potential for a great sequel. Unfortunately, most of that potential was squandered for a story that was largely more of the same. Frances learned important lessons at the end of the first book about being less foolhardy and selfish, as well as the necessity of being wary about those you trust and the power of sisterhood. At the start of this story, all that growth seemed to be out the window. For the first third of the book, she was back to lying, sneaking, and disregarding the consequences of her actions on her friends. I honestly think the beginning would have been better if it had skipped the journey to Europe and just started with Frances and her friends in Paris. The mystery could have started immediately without needing to devolve her character in an effort to make the journey interesting. I enjoyed the plot of this book once it got going, but it was similar to the first book in a lot of ways. There were still competing secret societies of magic users and the need to find an object to work/reverse death magic. However, the setting made it feel fresh, as did the focus on Frances's growth and her struggle with PTSD and guilt over the fallout of her previous actions. I actually came close to liking Frances at certain points in the novel, which was an accomplishment given how much I loathed her in book one. Finn's re-introduction increased the focus on the love triangle, which was even more prominent in this book than the first one since Oliver played a main role in this story as well. Oliver was sweet but kind of flat, and honestly, I wanted Frances to end up with Finn more, even though he had betrayed her and murdered her brother. Frances and Finn were both selfish disasters, with Frances being less so in certain parts of this book, and I don't think she deserved someone as good as Oliver. After the rough start, I was mostly enjoying the book up until the end. I HATED the ending. Frances was back to being selfish and lying to Oliver. Finn was wasted with little explanation as to why. It was just quite unsatisfying, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for poor Oliver. Overall, this book was once again a middle of the road story for me, just like its predecessor. It was okay, but the potential for it to be great was really squandered. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

3.5. I could recommend you to read The Witch Haven first for context but not necessarily. Plenty of references were mentioned in the sequel.

Set in 1913, three friends set sail from New York to France. Aside from visiting Paris, Frances hoped to find solution to get her magic back. Instead, she got more than she bargained for.

If you like friendships, love triangle, lgbtq, and second chances, this is the book for you. It was a slow start but I did enjoy the banter between friends throughout the book. Maxine and Lena were my favorites. Oliver is dreamy. There was also not much magic as I thought it would be. It seemed more like an ordinary mystery or suspense. The ending was touching and it seemed to indicate that there might be a 3rd book. Guess we’ll find out.

Thank you, @netgalley, and @simonandschuster,for the eARC in return for an honest review.

It’s not often that I like a sequel better than the first book, but it happened with The Witch Hunt.

I wasn’t crazy about main character Frances in The Witch Haven. She seemed to have no problem asking others to take risks without considering the consequences for them. In this followup, months have passed, Frances has matured, and now she’s worried more about her friends than herself. When her magic begins acting strangely, Frances is naturally very concerned – especially since she teaches at a school for witches. When an opportunity to visit Paris presents itself, she jumps at the chance. Besides finding a solution to the problems with her powers, she has a more personal reason for the journey.

The strong friendship between Frances, Lena, and Maxine was one of my favorite things about the first novel, and it continues to top the list with this novel. Maxine stole my heart with her snarky comments. Oliver, Frances’s boyfriend, has been attending school in Paris, so she’s also excited to be reunited with him. And he’s such a sweetie – totally supportive of Frances in every way.

It’s no secret that Finn is reintroduced. He betrayed Frances in a horrible way, but still believes they’ll be together and he can persuade her to forgive him. Honestly, he had some pretty good moments, and it wouldn’t be the first time a “villain” redeems himself. Turns out the spell Finn and Frances cast to talk to her dead brother in the prior book had some serious repercussions. The veil between the living and the dead is open, strange things are afoot, and power-hungry people are taking advantage of it. Someone has to close the veil, and it’s not going to be easy – or accomplished without a few dead bodies along the way.

I really enjoyed the 1913 Paris setting – I love this time period, and the high stakes kept me flipping the pages. Although some reviewers aren’t happy with the ending, it felt right to me. But I admit to thinking about it a couple days before I decided.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book starts out months after the battle between the Sons of St. Druon and the witches of Haxahaven Academy in book one. Frances has settled into a life teaching at Haxahaven, but something is not right. Her magic is misfiring and not working when she calls for it. Frances decided to embark on a trip to Paris with her best friends, Maxine and Lena. She soon learns that the spell she used with Finn to commune with her dead brother left the veil open. Now magicians are using the veil for nefarious purposes. Frances and her friends must stop them.

I loved the friendship in this book between Frances, Maxine, and Lena. I also loved their free independent spirits and major witchy feminist girl power vibes. However, I really struggled to connect with Frances. When Finn comes back into the picture, I just could not understand why Frances and her friends would work with him again. I realize it was begrudgingly, but when a sociopath kills your brother and causes all sorts of murder and mayhem, you should probably not let him back into your circle in any sort of way. I also really wanted a deeper connection between Oliver and Frances.

Ultimately, I did like the witchy atmospheric vibes. The descriptions of Paris, the catacombs, the Louvre, etc. we’re delightful. I felt fully immersed in the setting. Maxine will always be my favorite character. I love her spunk and wit 🖤.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Witch Hunt - Sasha Peyton Smith
3.75/5⭐️s
(Rounded up to 4)

I really loved so much about THE WITCH HAVEN, and much of that was present in THE WITCH HUNT. Sasha Peyton Smith's writing has a lyrically poignant atmospheric quality to it that just makes you feel the magic as you read these books. It was lovely when the book was set in New York. but Paris? It's just incandescent and makes you feel like you are walking with Florence and Company in the City of Lights. I'm not typically a big fan of time jumps, but I thought the time jump here fit Florence's character arc really well. I really enjoyed Florence as a main character and her relationships with other characters, especially Maxine and Lina. It's a beautifully carved sisterhood that brings to mind my own best girlfriends. I also loved how Florence's relationship with Oliver just blooms and develops throughout the novel. It was a friends-to-lovers dynamic I actually really liked, and that isn't a trope I enjoy very often. Also, Finn? Once again our resident bad boy just ripped my heart up again. I liked THE WITCH HUNT a lot, though I will say I felt the climax of the book was kind of rushed through and the chapters after felt kind out of place for me, but I was satisfied overall with where Florence's story went. I still love this duology in all of it's witchy glory.

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.

“What is a secret, if not an act of love?”
There are so many quotes that I am loving in this book!
“I should have expected this from him. But it is another thing entirely to experience it playing out in front of me. I have handed him all of the things I am afraid of, and he has tucked them into this pocket and asked what else he can carry.”

A few years after book 1 and Frances is now an instructor as Haxahaven and Oliver is in school on Paris. As the young women practice their magic Frances magic feels off and isn’t working normally. As a group they decide to go to Paris, she needs to find out if she can fix her magic. They happen to get caught up in some scary stuff and run into an old nemesis.

Enjoyed going back into this world of magic and friendship. Loved how Oliver and Frances relationship grows. As well as her and her friends. She gets to reconcile with some old pains and starts to heal. Though she has a lot of baggage. This had the different elements that I look for in a book – intrigue, adventure, catacombs, emotional relationships, a few twists, and magic.

Thank you for including me on this book tour and for the gifted copy for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

2.75⭐️

”There may be a quiet, normal life out there for me somewhere, but this is not your choice to make. I don’t want that life. I don’t want any life you are not a part of. My choice was made long ago. I chose you, Frances. I am still choosing you.”

It turns out that The Witch Hunt was not made for me and it doesn’t match my taste in books at all. But, the quote above is one of the good parts and it lives rent free in my head.

The biggest problem that I have with this book, and the previous one in the duology, are the characters. The book is undoubtedly well written but the characters (well, all of them except oliver) to me felt like words on paper if that makes any sense because I don’t have any other way to explain it. I didn’t feel anything while I was reading about them except boredom and annoyance. They could have all as well died and I wouldn’t feel a thing.

It didn’t help that one of the characters was a textbook sociopath and it was being romanticised. Don’t get me wrong, I read about twisted characters all the time but there was something very wrong with this one. His only redeeming quality was his last sacrifice and I literally cheered when he offed himself, sorry not sorry.

This is actually the first time for me that i rate a book with .75 stars and it’s because I couldn’t get myself to rate it three full stars but it also wasn’t that bad to get only a two.

Due respect to the author for giving this story a satisfactory ending. It’s disappointing that i didn’t enjoy this more but if something ain’t my cup of tea i’m not gonna force it.

After, The Witch Haven, I do also enjoyed this one. Witchy and spooky vibes into it, secret cult, mystery and thrills. Its pacing, slow but not complaining with it, the atmosphere of the story... I like it. While reading, it gives me a Shadow world vibe its like a parallel universe with Cordelia and James. The characters are good, the bond of each other makes me more interested in reading, i do love a found-family/friens troupe that i see fit into that loves the story more. One major concern for me is, how can you deal things when someone did an unforgivable one to you (you know when you read the first book). Its just ick me.. I dont why. The flow of the story works for me, sootg sailed one.
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Its 3.5/stars for me..
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Will there be a third book? I will read it for sure!

The Witch Hunt is the second, and final installment in author Sasha Peyton Smith's The Witch Haven duology. According to my notes, yes I take notes, this story picks up about 2 years after the ending of The Witch Haven. Even though she and her friends Marlene DuPre and Lena Jamison survived a brutal battle between witches of Haxahaven and the Sons of St. Droun which left major casualties on both sides, 19-year-old Frances Hollowell has settled into a more quiet life teaching young witches magic. The problem is that since she and Finn opened the veil, her magic hasn't been quite the same.

Meanwhile, Frances, Marlene, and Lena have decided to take a much needed vacation to Paris where, coincidentally, Oliver Callahan is living and going to school. Curiously enough, France also decides to make an appearance at her father's place of employment. A father who ran away from her mother Vera, who just happens to be back at Haxahaven, as well as Frances and her now decease brother, Michael. Frances hopes that her father might have some answers to what is happening to her magic. She never thought she would come face to face with Finn again.

Frances learns that there are serious consequences regarding the spell she used to speak to her dead brother - the veil between the living and the dead has been opened. A Veil that certain individuals are giddy about because it gives them a chance for immortality. In order to fix her wrong, Frances must team up with Finn, her father, her mother, Marlene, and Lena in order to not only close the veil, but to gain access to the power that she lost by opening the veil to see her brother one last time.

So, let's begin why my rating is what it is since that is what most publishers like to see. Simply; I wasn't happy with the ending. When a character dies, that character should have stayed dead. Period. Also, I have never quite been a fan of love triangles. While Finn and Frances seemed to have made a compact when they opened the veil to find her brother, it puts Oliver in a bad spot. Oliver who lost his best friend to Finn. Oliver who has steadfastly been in love with Frances for years, and stood on the sidelines until she decided what she was going to do with her life.

I am, however, happy that there was resolution vis-à-vis her mother and father and what happened in the past. Normally, parents don't necessarily play a role in what happens to wrap up the story and series. But both characters did. I am also happy that large parts of this story takes place in Paris. If you have never visited Paris, put it on your bucket list. Visit the Louvre, visit the Catacombs, walk up or take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Eat some amazing French food. You won't be disappointed!