The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

Title: The Witch Haven

Author: Sasha Peyton Smith
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 448 pages
Publication: August 31, 2021 by Simon and Schuster BFYR
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
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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?

My Thoughts

Books with witches are my jam. Combine it with the early 20th century period and a boarding school setting and you have the perfect trifecta. We all know the history of witches. People fear what they don’t understand but what’s even more terrifying is an intelligent woman with powers. Smith did a great job incorporating that theme and picking the perfect setting of 1911 New York. While it was the turn of the century full of expansion, it was also a time of oppression of the lower-working class and women. The world building was pretty straightforward and very easy to understand. 

The world is divided into the haves and have-nots, those with power and without power, and male and female. Frances, our heroine falls in the later. After a triggering violent attack Frances discovers she’s a witch. Immediately she gets whisked away to Haxahaven Academy. Haxahaven teaches its students’ that their place in the world is in a home. The magical spells learned revolved around domesticated routines in the home such as cooking, cleaning and sewing. It comes as no surprise that Frances yearns more in life than becoming a dutiful housewife. As her brother William once said, she was destined to change the world. And that’s exactly what Frances set out to do, but as with life, things don’t always turn out how we thought they would. 

 Frances is your typical seventeen-year-old, curious, rebellious and thinks she’s invincible. I liked that she did anything she set her mind to and never took no as an answer. It was easy to see her growth and transformation from beginning to end. I thought it was done well and best of all, actually believable. All the secondary characters were also well developed and memorable. I adored Frances’s confidantes Maxine and Leah. They embodied loyalty and sisterhood. I normally am not fond of love triangles but I kinda liked Oliver and Finn. They were the complete opposite, the old childhood friend and the mysterious dream boy. But unlike other cookie-cutter YA love interests, these guy had substance and piqued my interest. The somewhat biggest surprise of all was Finn. I guessed how everything was going to end but Smith definitely shocked me in the last chapter. Talk about a cliffhanger! 

 The Witch Haven exceeded all my expectations. I went in thinking it was going to be a regular ol’ story about a boarding school but it was so much more. The story had a natural progression throughout the entire book and ended in an explosive climax that I think will surprise the reader and have them frantically turning the pages. I flew through the last third of the book. The Witch Haven is a great debut encompassing self discovery and acceptance, sisterhood/friendship, and of course a lot of heart. I absolutely enjoyed The Witch Haven, it was one of my most anticipated read...and it didn’t disappoint! I can't wait to see what’s in store for Frances and her friends.