Name: Mary's review of The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith
Item: The Witch Haven
Rating: 4.5
Author: Mary

Sasha Peyton Smith

“Spectacular, singular, and spellbinding.” —Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards. 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?

The Witch Haven

Whisked away to Haxahaven Academy for Witches in 1911, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell soon finds herself torn between aligning herself with Haxahaven's foes, the Sons of St. Druon, to solve her brother's murder or saving Manhattan and her fellow witches.

Abigail | 

Helen once told me I couldn't burn down the world for taking the things I loved from me. Helen was wrong in many regards, but in that she was right. I take the endless well of love I have for my brother, and I whisper to it, a prayer to stop eating me alive. I learn to give it away. To the homesick Haxahaven girls. To my friends. To myself. I think the only choice any of us has is to take our pain and make a world that hurts its inhabitants a little less. 

“Frances.” He says my name like a prayer, a sacred thing just for him.

Finn casts a sidelong glance at me and smiles. "I’m used to believing in impossible things, Frances. Remember, I once dreamed of you."

I prefer this version of us. A Finn and Frances illuminated with a rainbow of electric lights, with freedom to laugh as loudly as they please.

I'm aware that I should be unsettled by his story. There's something invasive and intimate about the idea that he's been witnessing my dreams for years, even more so that he followed me once he made it to New York. But instead of squirmy discomfort, there is the fizzy warmth that comes with being special to someone. 

He finally turns to look at me, and it’s like staring into the sun. His eyes are wide and questioning: You matter to me; do I matter fo you, too?

“You’ve been haunting me my whole life.”

Kimmy Hobden

“Maxine is beautiful in the way boys are allowed to be, in a way that feel like defiance instead of performance.” 

“Women are supposed to be competent at everything and experts at nothing, haven’t you heard?” 

Liz Griffin

Sintia

The Pages Are Calling

Ashley

Kathryn

Mary

hilda ☆

oh this ending pissed me off BAD 😭 but you kinda see it coming halfway through the book :/ so there’s that .. oliver we love yew!

Mae Erceg

I really loved this books vibe. The storyline was very fast paced and fun and I loved the character growth of Frances as well as our lil cutie Finn. The magic was beautifully written, it made me want to be there with them witnessing all the magnificence unfold. The plot twist was super entertaining and made the hefty read so worth it even tho I wish it wasn’t so. The ending was so good too! I cannot wait for more. Very much recommending, 4/5 stars!

Cloudface

I liked the setting and the concept, but I wish less time had been spent on the love triangle and more time developing the world and characters. To be fair it’s a YA novel and I’m a 24 year old lesbian so I was never going to be that invested in the handsome boys. Lol.

If you like fictional historical fantasy, this is the book for you. This takes place in 1911 New York and has sprinkles of historical accuracy added in (women’s right movement occurring). I loved the world building in this series. The description of magic was perfectly in tandem with the societal role women played during this time period of “better seen than heard.” The magic in this series is minimal until Frances decides she wants more and is offered more.  Some of the tropes in this book are found family, self discovery, strangers-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, and my personal favorite, I-started-the-ending-of-the-world-and-now-have-to-fix-it-but-i-started-and-effed-it-up-royally. I loved every bit of this and hated when I had to put it down. This story has loss, heartbreak, love, magic, sisterhood, and tons of mystery. Finding out Finn was the one who killed Frances’ brother and has been obsessed with her after only one visit? Chills! There was a ton of foreshadowing that I feel will be very important in the sequel book and cannot wait to read the sequel! 

Ana Paula

I hadn't read fantasy in a couple of months so it was very refreshing in that sense, however there was a fair bit of details on the predictable side (not that I mind much since I love saying I was right even if it didn't take much detective-ing from my part) so that's something I'd consider important to take into thought when reading this

This book surprised me in so many ways, and what a poignant ride it was along the way. The plot was fascinating and shocking, the characters were deeply detailed and intimately known, and the prose was simultaneously beautiful and chilling. This story will stick with me for years to come, and I look forward to reading the sequel soon!

Shannon Leigh Williams

Oh my gosh that was SO well done. I haven’t read a YA Fantasy I’ve enjoyed that much in years and it’s the perfect, witchy read for October too!

Ashley Wendt

3.5 I love the idea of this book. I enjoyed the storyline, but something lacking. I think maybe it was the magic. I wanted more magic and higher stakes. This has so much potential to be an amazing series…so I’m looking forward to what the author brings for a hopeful book 2!

Carrington Kinslow

** spoiler alert **
            "I learn to believe in miracles. The forgiveness of my friends is holy, and when we laugh together, it is a promise to build a better world. Haxahaven becomes a place of joy. Filled to the brim with laughing girls and sloppy magic, I allow it to heal me."  

With "The Witch Haven," Sasha Peyton Smith has constructed a beautiful journey for our main character, Frances, that entails all the best and messiest parts of friendship, family, love, loyalty, grief, and healing. It is a story that at times, took my breath away and left me in tears. 

Right from the beginning we understand that Frances has suffered a horrible loss, her brother has been murdered a few months before the book begins. The plot of "The Witch Haven" begins pretty much immediately, Frances' witch abilities kick in rather quickly and we find ourselves in Haxahaven's school for witches only about 50 pages in. The pacing of this book consistently kept me invested, the story rarely stalled. 

 "So what do I do?" I ask my brother in the very last moments I'll ever have with him. "What do I do in a world without you?" He smiles, and the moment is perfect, except it's not, because he's dead and I'm still here. "You live, silly." 

Frances is a great main character and I really connected with her. All of her feelings about her brother's death were so raw and genuine. Smith's writing contains authenticity that I think some authors lack when tackling topics such as grief for a loved one. I cried a few times when Frances' pain would erupt and she would really have to confront the loss she has faced. Frances goes through a very painful but beautiful journey, Smith is a crazy talented writer. I have so many quotes from this book saved just because of how powerful they are. 

Not only is Frances a great main character, the side characters are very strong as well and added so much to the story. Frances' best friends, Maxine and Lena, really are the perfect supporting characters to Frances and I absolutely adored them. Nuanced females who blend so well together. 

 "They're so much more important to me than any boy. This is what I really wanted, a warm bed filled with friends, with three identical hearts on fire, burning for something more than what we've been given." 

My favorite aspect of "The Witch Haven" is that the romantic subplot is secondary to the friendship/sisterhood subplot. Frances consistently chooses Maxine and Lena over her love interest, Finn. This was really refreshing to see, I love healthy female friendships in books and I really was so happy when I realized that the love story of "The Witch Haven" is between Frances, Maxine, and Lena, not Frances and Finn. The romantic subplot was fun and all, but I could not get enough of the friendship dynamic. Smith highlights really well the natural solidarity that exists between women who've been wronged because of their sex and what they are capable of. And then, she takes that solidarity and fleshes it out so beautifully, you can genuinely see Frances fall in love with her friends more than you see her fall for her love interest. They have such a naturally compatible dynamic and despite them going their separate ways in the end, the love they have for each other is truly what saves Frances in the end of the book and I cannot wait to see where the next book takes them. They are now one of my all time favorite friendship groups. 

 "I will not leave this world a half-done, unrealized thing. For the first time in a very long time, I want desperately to live."  

And my other favorite part of "The Witch Haven," the insane female badassery. Though set in 1911, the challenges that our female leads face are very much present in our modern society. Frances is such a powerhouse, as well as Maxine and Lena. Frances describes Maxine as a sense of duty locked in battle with her desire for adventure, and Lena as fiercely proud and unrelentingly ambitious with an endless well of kindness in her heart. Just such phenomenal women, who grow a lot throughout this book and take control over what it means to not only be a woman, but a powerful witch. They win some battles, and lose others. But they never stop supporting one another and believing that they can and will achieve more. 

And finally, my least favorite part of the review, the VERY FEW flaws in "The Witch Haven." I found that the magic and world was a little underdeveloped. I honestly couldn't picture Haxahaven in my head when reading, despite it being the primary setting of the book. Also, the magic was just a bit unclear. We know that the witches have different abilities, like Lena is clairvoyant and Maxine is a finder. But those are the only two types of magic we get to witness, but we don't even see their individual gifts that often. They do basic witchery a lot, but the specific gifts they have were underdeveloped and confusing when they were in use. 

Overall, "The Witch Haven" is an excellent book and I am so glad I picked it up! I highly recommend this to anyone, but especially fans of witches and the found family trope.

"The Witch Haven" - 4/5 Stars

Virág 

*this first part is an introduction, skip if you only want the review*
This book was my mental support during the first week of university, I couldn't read a word, because I didn't have time, but it was always in my bag and reminded me what I can do once I will have some free time, which I rarely had. Until a few days ago, when I decided to read this book instead of studying for my exam, yes this book was way too good to not read instead of studying plant names in latin. And after this long story of my life, here is my review:

Our story starts with the female main character, called Frances, for me she seemed like a great character. I loved how realistic her life was, how hard it was for her during these times when we meet her, and how big character development she has. From a girl who rarely makes decisions and doesn't know what she would like to do becoming into a powerful and strong being who is not being controlled by anyone.

I really loved the twists in the story, I have been always trying to figure out who is a negative or evil character and what could be their motives, and it was a fun thing to look for. I think this book creates a magical (see what I did there) atmosphere, which can completely suck you in and entertain you for hours without you realizing that you are still reading at 1 am. and the next day you were supposed to get up at 5 am. (Definitely didn't happen with me whaaaat)

I also adored the friendships that has been going on in the book, those bonds were so strong and I often wished if I could just be a part of their group and just hang out with them a little bit.

So if you are looking for a great story, with amazing characters and lots of magic, this is a great autumn read.

Samantha King

So did I guess who killed our main characters brother sort of, I didnt trust that character at all. Did kt ruin kt for me no.
This is a brilliant debut and I loved the story and characters.
Magic around every corner.
I will say this was almost a 3.5 but the last 90 pages bumped it up to a four stars. Brilliant ending with plenty of action.

Ana m santos

It took me a while to get into it, reason why is 3 starts, but now i cannot wait for the second one, hopping it hock me faster than this one. 
Really good read, just a bit slow in the beginning

Sasha Damaris 

This book is amazing!! I'm obsessed with Lina and I love how her character was written. The book was super slow and a tad boring at first (first 130-ish pages) but it was so worth it. THE ENDING, THE PLOT TWIST OMG!!! This book gave me trust issues.

Suzy Dean

The book had an interesting premise but let me down tremendously… but maybe that’s what I get for picking up a YA.
The entire book is centered around Frances trying to do this spell that is required to see her dead brother again with a secondary plot to solve murders. The spell states that it must be performed “soon” after an individual has died, but Frances finds this spell several months after her brother’s death and it takes several more months to acquire all of the necessary tools. It’s a bit hard to believe.
I’m also frustrated with the amount of typos in this book: “He,” when it should say “The,” “Gentleman!” when it should say “Gentlemen!”
Additionally, an important tool, and one so hard to find, is a scrying mirror. During the spell, Peyton Smith consistently describes Frances looking at her reflection in the scrying mirror, but a scrying mirror has no reflection. 
Under-edited, underdeveloped, and under-researched.

Kayce Champion 

** spoiler alert **
           I saw this book and when I picked it up, I was immediately drawn into it. The aesthetic of this world and the character building alone was something that drew my interests in. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and the added effect of witches-to-be in a disguised sanitarium just checks all of the boxes for a unique story.

Frances Hallowell is a main character where I can truly understand her regrets. She is dealing with the death of her brother and realizing she killed her predatory boss with magic she didn't know she possessed. Her welcome into the Haxahaven Academy is met with some tension, from Ruby and Aurelia, but also some friendly faces, Lena and Maxine. She even has to deal with the mysterious and hard lined headmistress, Mrs. Vykotsky, whom she realizes is more connected to her past than she ever realized.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the fact that Frances is whisked away to harness her powers and control them and it ties into that social structure of the time, the early 1900s, where women are seen to need to be controlled. I like that it matched well with the way we perceive that time period. It shows that Frances has double the struggle, not just with ordinary life, but with her magical powers as well, especially because the book implies how powerful Frances really is. 

Let's talk about Finn. That good ol' Finn D'Arcy. I knew he was too good to be true. All the foreshadowing of Florence and Maxine could not have prepared me for Finn to become the villain. I did not see it. It was well executed through the book. Finn's villainous ways come as a realization of how dark and powerful magic is. How manipulative it is. He helps her harness her powers just to steal them. He claims it is for love. I think this is a perfect way in how most relationships at this age are. They fester in the strong feelings that the manipulation and toxicity cannot be seen and is thinly disguised by passion and devotion. None of which is truly Finn's motive.

I think the ending was spectacular. It left the world open for more adventures. I think this book could've easily been amazing as a stand alone but I do like the possibility of more to explore with this story. I say that because there were some details of the book that I felt like were amiss. One of which was Oliver. It was clear that the story introduced him to be part of this love triangle. If he is to be a counterpart to Finn, I wish he would've been explored more. All we know is that he cares about William and Frances because he grew up with them. We also know he has an affluent family. Nothing of his character is shown, not in comparison to Finn. I wish he would've been explored more in this book, considering it is implied that is who Frances ends up with. Perhaps the open end allows Oliver to be more explored. When he was first introduced, I knew he would show up again, and I was disappointed by how little. I did like the boxing scene but that was really it. Finn had most of the interaction and involvement in the story, and I think if Oliver was to serve as the other point of the triangle, he should have had his own to stand on, which wasn't much especially because he doesn't have magical powers.

The other thing is France's mother. It was mentioned she was a witch at the Haxahaven academy. There is not much explored. Frances thought about getting her out of the asylum but once it was brought up and thought, nothing more ever came of it. Perhaps, again, the open end allows that part of the story to be expanded on in the future.

Overall, an amazing debut by Sasha Peyton Smith. She really captivated a story with this historical fantasy and wonderful characterization. I am quite impressed and look forward to any more work she might put out in the future!

Hannah Williams

A very interesting read! I loved reading about the magic system/ how magic is treated between the bus and the girls. The added murder mystery element was really good. 

SPOILERS

I had a feeling that Finn wasn’t going to as good as he appeared to be and I am kind of sad that I was right. On the inside I really wanted him to be good for Frances. I think Oliver will be better for her though

Allison

I smell a sequel!!

A lot darker than I thought it was going to be, didn’t love the love triangle, made me dislike the MC a bit but I loved the book, if a sequel is released and I’m pretty sure there will be one, I will definitely preorder

Beatriz Aires

This book was a nice read. While I fully believe the book was overhyped as many books are nowadays, I enjoyed it.
Keep in mind that I picked this up thinking it would be a standalone but it actually is the first book in a duology! I don't believe the second book is out yet. So obviously lots of the questions are still up in the air.

It is a light read thank the gods with a slightly predictable plot and a very fast pace.

noah!

thank u to bie for the rec i am a mess … this book really said gaslight gatekeep girlboss huh

Taylor

3.5 stars rounded up. 

Overall this was a really enjoyable read and an excellent debut! Sasha Peyton Smith did a wonderful job of portraying the 1910s aesthetic and not shying away from the realities, no matter how gritty and dark, of the time. 

Frances, Lena, and Maxine's friendship is truly the shining star of the book. I loved their fast friendship and willingness to support each other no matter what. Despite their differing backgrounds, the three girl's each experienced hardships and trials and their pain connected them in unique ways. 

I do wish that I was more surprised by (view spoiler)[the reveal about Finn. Between the vibes with his interactions with the other Sons and Frances being sceptical of almost everything except for Finn. It just came off as a bit obvious. (hide spoiler)] 

I can't really put my finger on what didn't sit well with me about the plot, but there was a lot that I just felt confused by? I will definitely read the sequel to see how certain things play out and if we get any more information about certain aspects, but for now, I am just thinking.

TWs: sexual assault, blood, murder (both on-page and off), stabbing, vomiting, drowning, absentee parents, mutilation of corpses, hospitalization for mental health, residential schools, underage drinking and smoking

there are small things i would've changed, but overall i really liked it! not to mention it caused me so much pain... the good kind, tho

thank you to my bestie coco who knows me better than anyone when it comes to books. as always, she was right!

cossette

i am simply sitting,

content warnings: grief, attempted sexual assault, blood, murder both on page and off, stabbing, vomiting, drowning, absentee parents, mutilation of corpses, the main character’s mother resides in an asylum for assumed mental health issues, mentions of asylums, alluded child abuse, discussions of Native American boarding schools, and underage drinking and smoking

Luna

this read like 5+ different novellas that all have the same badly written characters and meaningless plot devices. 

this is the most boring book i’ve ever read set at a magical school, probably because most of it isn’t even at the school. a big theme at this school is the power of friendship, but i have to ask, what friendship? these characters are almost never there for each other, and on the rare occasion that they are, the next page they refuse to talk, or they argue, or lie to each other, and just overall treat each other like crap. yet they are constantly referred to as the best of friends, as if any of them have shown an ounce of caring.

the endless repetition continues with the plot, to the point that i wish i counted from the beginning the number of times frances said “let them think i’m a good girl so i can kill them” because she makes the exact same mistake every 20-50 pages. she keeps saying that she’s this smart badass after repeatedly being proven wrong by her own ignorance, just like she keeps saying these girls are her world when they don’t even trust each other or talk about anything. one second she wants to make out with her friends, one second she wants to kill everyone, and this just isn’t addressed. 

basically, everyone is a stereotypical slytherin with no morals or personality, the themes of the story don’t coincide with the actual plot and relationships at all, and the plot keeps repeating itself because there’s zero communication or logic from any of the characters. i think the setting had a lot of potential if the characters were actually friends and had at least one brain cell between them, but that’s not what happened. it was so boring reading about bland girls repeating themselves every chapter.


edit: forgot to add that this is also unnecessarily heavy with detailing every skipped meal and how bony everyone is

Mary &
The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

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