So if you don’t know this is the second book to The Witch Haven, so don’t go into reading this without reading that one first or you will be lost!

It picks up right where we left in the first. Frances is stilling finding her place in the world and with her powers. Oliver her man isn’t there really and the two kinda stop forming a relationship. At least that’s how it felt as I was reading!

The story in this does take us to Paris which was so amazing to see come alive especially in the 1920’s, how fun!!

But what was supposed to be a fun get away for Frances and the girls turns into a murder mystery that needs solving!

Definitely vibed hard with the girl squad and their shenanigans!

Over all it was a good book the lack of chemistry between Oliver and France is the only thing I wish would different.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!

What a wild ride! If you loved the first book, the Witch Haven, then this is simply a must read. And, at such a perfect time of year!!!

I loved where the story picked up with Frances after that wild ending of the first book. She is struggling with her powers but also, after everything she's been through, she is kind of struggling with figuring out exactly who she is because of that. I loved that mixture of trying to find the key to fixing magic while also seeing her deep introspection.

This book has everything. Not to mention, it takes place in Paris! The charming, delightful and partying 1920's in Paris adds the perfect touch to the atmosphere kicking this story up into high gear.

Definitely recommend this sequel!

Out October 11, 2022!

The first book in this series left me seriously wanting more, and resolution and.... I am not sure I feel differently after finishing this one. But. I am definitely more fulfilled and feel like it's a more complete story.

This book picked up where the last one left off, our heroine has beaten her lover/enemy/husband? And he's gone to France, and she's... still at Haxahaven. That doesn't last long, soon she's off on a whirlwind dark gritty nightmarish adventure again with her gal pals and we meet new characters, see lots of new places and it's all a pretty decent payoff for the first book.

I liked where the story went, I didn't LOVE it, but it was kind of what I expected but with enough unexpected plot twistiness to keep me interested. This is one of those books that you want to read, but won't necessarily pick up again. I think I got everything there was to get out of it the first time around, you know?

All around, if you liked the first one, you'll probably like this one too and want to read it because it does wrap up things that were left hanging in the first book. IMO it also leaves itself open for a sequel, so I'm left wondering if that's in the cards?

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advance review copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like this was such a good follow up to The Witch Haven. You defianlly need to read The Witch Haven before reading this one becuase, it picks up right where the last book left off. I will say that I felt like this book did drag on a little bit so I wish that it was a bit shorter. I also wish these books had come out closer together. Because I did not remember everything that happened in The Witch Haven, and there were a lot of call backs to that book. But overall a really good book for spooky season. It had a lot of action and overall just a good story. I would suggest both this book and The Witch Haven. Thank you NetGalley, Sasha Peyton Smith, and Simon Schuster for the ARC of this book.

The bestie trio from Haxahaven is back in "The Witch Hunt", the highly anticipated sequel to Sasha Peyton Smith's "The Witch Haven". This time the adventures of Frances, Lena, and Maxine take them to Paris, France, where they must discover what has gone wrong with Frances's magic...and figure out how to get it back.

While Oliver is back as Frances's boyfriend, and Finn is back to attempt to muck that up, it is once again the friendship between the three girls that shines.

Readers will be drawn into the glittering lights of Paris, as well as the latest adventures of Frances, Lena, and Maxine. Sequels often struggle to live up to their predecessors, but this book is just as enjoyable as the first.

And that last line? Pure perfection.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

We’re thrust back into a world of betrayal, love and magic in Sasha Peyton Smith’s THE WITCH HUNT, an exhilarating, action-packed sequel to THE WITCH HAVEN.

Haxahaven, the school of magic that served as the setting for the first installment of the duology, takes a backseat in this one, as THE WITCH HUNT sees protagonist Frances heading to Paris, still reeling from the devastating events of the last book. The trip is meant to be frivolous and fun, a chance for Frances to get away from the predicable, safe routine she’s settled into at Haxahaven, but it ends up being anything but. Something’s off in the City of Love — a series of unexplained, unsettling murders point to some nefarious magic underfoot. Something’s wrong with our MC’s magic, too — and the only person who may be able to help her fix it is the last person her heart can handle seeing again.

Just like its predecessor, THE WITCH HUNT does a spectacular job of spinning a tale of mystery that is boosted by the scenery and likability of the characters. Frances is as quietly conflicted and courageous as always, and she’s joined on her journey by best friends Maxine and Lena, both which add sparkling wit and themes of loyalty to the story. In Paris, Frances is reunited with budding love interest Oliver, who is as kind and unapologetically boring as he was in THE WITCH HAVEN. But what really drives the tension and engagement with the story is Frances coming face-to-face with Finn himself, who has, since the conclusion of the last book, gone decidedly from beloved hero to despised villain. One who is convinced everything he’s done is for Frances herself.

Much like the glimpses of this readers were treated to in THE WITCH HAVEN, a troubled dynamic like this one is exquisitely done in THE WITCH HUNT. Smith pulls no punches while diving headfirst into a sea of emotions between Frances and Finn, providing color and context to a relationship that is anything but easy. Of course, that’s also the best part of the book; the messiness and a lack of totality gives the connection between the two a very realistic, human tone. It’s almost as if the author is paying homage to WEST SIDE STORY, but adding the kind of logic and developed backstory to it that the show itself fails to provide. Little criticism should be levied at this version — readers are brought into the psyche of someone grappling with grief, regret and the perils of giving your heart away too quickly to a person you don’t really know.

My only major complaint about THE WITCH HUNT is that the Oliver and Frances relationship lacks any sort of depth and chemistry. I never found myself rooting for them, but hoping at several points that Frances would decide to just shirk all romantic prospects on the table and simply choose herself. Another frustrating — albeit slightly ingenious — addition was Finn’s character arc in this. Initially I was upset with the way things played out, but, without giving too much away, after reflecting I found myself begrudgingly admiring the nuances of his story. (Very minor gripe, but I also felt as if the addition of Frances’ parents was completely unnecessary and added little to the pace of the plot.) Still, none of these details detracted from the story itself, which was meticulously wrapped up.

THE WITCH HUNT ties up the lingering loose ends from THE WITCH HAVEN, giving the doomed love story at the heart of this duology the kind of closure it, and its devoted fans, deserve. By delivering a second book that’s even better than the first, Smith pulls off what most authors aspire to do, but few actually achieve. Cue a standing ovation — it’s well deserved.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this!*

this was a great follow-up to The Witch Haven and was just as strong as it was. I really loved the first book so I was excited to read this book and I'm glad I did. It was what I was looking for in a sequel and it was so strong. The characters were great and I was never bored when they were on the page. The plot was what I was hoping for and it had the same writing style from Sasha Peyton Smith that I enjoyed.

"Maxine pulls the key out of her handbag and with astonishingly steady hands, she unlocks the gate that leads to the front door of the building. Lena and I barrel in after her. Oliver and Finn aren’t far behind. Finn is still conscious, which is a good sign, but he’s gone so pale and has a hazy look in his eyes."

I had a little bit harder time getting drawn into this book compared to the first one, however I did still enjoy it. While I felt the pacing was slower, it did give me some good twists and turns.

It was fast paced, good plot and continued a good story that was set up from the first.

Actual rating would be a 3.5

The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith

A wonderfully epic sequel to The Witch Haven with a beautiful cinematic setting in Paris. The fun banter, the deepening of friendships, the romance… all things I look for in a book, and this one did not disappoint. (Did I mention how much I loved the romance?!)

I really enjoyed following Frances and the other beloved characters from the first book on a twisty adventure of love, betrayal, & finding answers to the magical mayhem plaguing the witch community.

This book has been a highly anticipated read ever since I read the first book last year, and boy did Sasha deliver. This book exceeded my expectations and took me through a whirlwind of emotions (in the best way!). I would 100% keep reading more books set in this world if it they continued!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this amazing ARC! The Witch Hunt comes out on October 11th 2022. If you haven’t already preordered this beautiful book, I highly recommend you do!

4.5 ★

that was probably my favorite last sentence i've ever read. literal shivers, it was so hauntingly beautiful- i cant.

and omg THE DARKLINA VIBES. MAJORRR DARKLING X ALINA VIBES.

this was just so good, i absolutely loved it. there was the perfect amount of character development, interesting plot, lovable friendship, sweet romance, and an angsty villain.

the characters will always be my favorite part. i adored frances' development, how she is much more mature yet still has her characteristic snark and courage. she still sometimes made rash decisions that made me want to roll my eyes, but i overall liked her character so much more in this book. her friendship with maxine and lena was the absolute sweetest, and i adored their trio so so much. they never failed to make me laugh and smile, especially maxine. i appreciated how even the side characters got so much depth and development- it made the story feel that much more real.

the romance was by far the most compelling. i didn't reread the first book before reading this one, and as a result, mighttt have sort of forgotten who oliver was. I FEEL SO BAD 😭 they filled the childhood best friends-to-lovers trope so well, and i ended up loving oliver so much. he was an absolute sweetheart, and their slowburn romance had me swooning.

... then we have finn. if there's one person i vividly remember from the first book, it's him. his betrayal shocked me to my core because i had literally fallen in love with him, and i sadly think about him often. obviously, his relationship with frances has since changed. i went back and forth and back and forth between loving him, even when i knew i shouldn't, and hating him, even when it hurt to admit.

i've thought about it a lot, and the best way i can describe their dynamic is like the darkling and alina, from 'shadow and bone'. they are frighteningly similar- do with that as you will.

the plot was well thought out, and the pacing was on the slower side, but steady. not once was i ever bored.

overall, this is an incredible sequel to 'the witch hunt', with the most perfect ending. as sad as i am that this was only a duology, i can't imagine a better conclusion to their story.

I loved this sequel! This book was exactly what I wanted the first one to be. I loved the adventures and the new characters. And the ending was so delightful.

This book was just as good as the first. The pace was a little slow, but largely cozy with a healthy amount of corrupted innocence shadowing the corners. Recommended for fans of adventurous historical fiction.

A great sequel to Witch Haven! I was nervous but this book delivered the same witty banter we’ve come to love from Sasha. I literally stayed up all night reading because I didn’t want to leave the world created in this book! Kudos!

Set a little over a year after the events of The Witch Haven, The Witch Hunt follows Frances as she faces the consequences from the spell she used to speak with William, her dead brother. Ever since the spell, Frances’ magic has been unsteady — it doesn’t always work, or it doesn’t work the way she wants it to. When Maxine persuades Frances and Lena to join her in Paris, Frances is uneasy at the idea. Despite her closeness with her two best friends, she’s been harboring a secret: she received a letter from Finn, who is in Europe, with the promise of building something bigger for the two of them. It’s only until an accidental reunion between Finn and Frances that she realizes that his magic has also been finicky. With another uptick of murders around the city, Finn and Frances must reunite to once again to put an end to it, get their magic back, and resolve the ramifications of the spell.

I absolutely adored The Witch Haven — in fact, it’s probably in my top 10 of books I read last year, so it’s no surprise that The Witch Hunt was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases! And after that cliffhanger ending in The Witch Haven? How could I not be stoked? But as is the case with every sequel, I’m always a little apprehensive: What if it’s not as good as its predecessor? What if something happens to my beloved characters? What if? Needless to say, I shouldn’t have worried at all. The Witch Hunt not only held up to The Witch Haven, but I might even be as bold to say that I enjoyed it more than The Witch Haven.

One of my favorite things about The Witch Haven was how it explores grief and trauma, and how that can affect someone. In my initial review, I wrote that “Frances’ journey is particularly shaped by her grief, and her trauma. It’s a reminder that grief is something that doesn’t just go away, but something that we get used to, and something that is always in the back of our minds. Frances is snarky, she’s kind, she’s hurting, and she’s inquisitive.” I was relieved that in The Witch Hunt, Frances’ grief is still ever present and lingering in every action. It’s very much a reminder that we don’t “get over” our grief, but we grow around it. Frances is still every bit as snarky and inquisitive, just a little more grown up now. In the time since the ending of The Witch Haven, Frances has really settled into Haxahaven Academy, and made it a home. She’s living a quieter life, and is trying her best to keep her loved ones from worrying about her. Despite her secrecy, the root of Frances’ actions is always love. Grief and love go hand in hand, and it’s particularly evident in Frances and her relationships. Over the course of The Witch Hunt, we see Frances come to several realizations about herself, learn to let her loved ones in, and put her walls down.

Frances, Maxine and Lena’s friendship was just as sweet as I remembered it to be. I loved reading more about Maxine and Lena as individual characters, and having The Witch Hunt set in Maxine’s old stomping grounds allowed us to get to know her much better. Maxine is just so full of life, and we really saw her shine in The Witch Hunt. And it was so lovely to catch up with Lena and to see her flourish outside of Haxahaven. All three characters have really come into their own since The Witch Haven. Frances, Maxine and Lena are endlessly supportive of one another, and their mutual love simply seeps through the pages.

I’d previously said that the love between Frances, Maxine and Lena was stronger, and more powerful than any romance storyline in The Witch Haven, and while that remains to be true, I do love Oliver. As our love interest, Oliver is patient and gentle and good. Regardless of everything else going on, there is never a doubt in the reader’s mind that Oliver loves Frances, and simply wants the best for her. And while I hold a lot of fondness for Oliver, what I love most about him is how he loves Frances, and how he helps her heal.

The Witch Hunt is a tale of many things; it’s a tale of magic, of mystery, of identity, of grief, but most importantly, it’s a tale of love. It’s a reminder that you can’t do everything on your own, that you have to let people in to love you and help you, and most importantly, how healing love can be, wrapped up in a dark academia historical fiction fantasy. I absolutely adored The Witch Hunt, and couldn’t be more excited for its release this fall so I can read and reread it again and again.

I received an arc for the first book and now I’ve been blessed to receive an arc for the second. Seriously a dream come true!

I read this book so quickly. I just couldn’t put it down. Between Sasha’s beautiful writing style, her knack for storytelling, and my love for these characters, the book entranced me.

I loved watching Frances and her friends grow and find their place in this world. I love their witty banter and each of their personalities is fresh and uniquely their own. Their dynamic is well done and OLIVER! Freaking Oliver. I love that man so much. Him and Frances are end game and I loved watching their growth.

And then we have Finn…my thoughts about him are constantly waffling. I keep wanting to like him but then he does something to make me dislike him and it keeps going in that cycle. By the end of the book, I have strong mixed feelings and I can’t wait to see how others react.

As much as I loved the setting of New York for the first book, Paris was maybe even better. I’ve been dreaming of going to the Louvre and then when the Louvre played a key role in the story, I could hardly contain my excitement.

Just like the first, there were many plot twists that I didn’t see coming and I was constantly wondering what mystery Frances would uncover next.

Sasha Peyton Smith is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors.

The Witch Hunt is the perfect follow up for The Witch Haven. I’m sad the story of Frances and the witch crew is over but I can’t wait to see what Sasha releases next!

This is the second in Sasha Peyton Smith's series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This book takes place mainly in Paris. The authors descriptions of Paris are mouthwatering.

The characters are as enjoyable as they were in the first book but the plot falls a little flat. It isn't as exciting as the first book.

That said, it was still an enjoyable magical read.

Wow, I really really enjoyed this book! It was unlike anything I’ve read, it was so original. It kept me hooked!

I liked The Witch Hunt a bit more than I liked The Witch Haven. In The Witch Haven, Frances seemed stupidly innocent and it was slow at times. I actually like that she now has trust issues and that this book was shorter than the first. It was more enjoyable and we got to see more of my favorite side characters, Maxine and Lena. I'd like to see them all grow more though, and Fin's plot line feels unfinished, but this doesn't really set itself up for a third book like I feel it should. The love triangle was a big focus again that I just didn't care about, and sometimes when the characters talk it doesn't flow right, like the sentences they end with should be what they start with. I'd recommend if you like the first one and character redemption arcs.