Based upon the extract I have seen of the first book in Sara Holland's Havenfall series, I think it's pretty good; it's simple prose, easy world building and a comfortable pace. That's not to say it has the magic and whimsy I would hope to find from a book promising mystery and ancient magic, but it strikes me as the kind of book you'd quickly lose yourself in.

If you enjoyed Sara Holland's approach to storytelling in her Everless books then I think you'll very easily fall into this series too. The writing style is very much the same, just with a slightly more "real-world" feel to it. The premise is simple: Havenfall is quite literally a safe haven for Maddie Marrow. After a difficult loss and a dysfunctional family situation unfolds, Maddie finds herself needing the quiet beauty of a place like Havenfall. Except it seems that quiet solitude is about to be shattered, as Maddie realises bodies are turning up on the grounds of Havenfall, and maybe Maddie's friend is responsible.

I like the concept of hidden worlds separated and sealed by what are essentially magical portals; this is awesome. I do feel like the world building has been oversimplified to the point of potentially becoming a bit bland, which ostensibly ruins such a cool idea, but its hard to really say for sure based upon two chapters.

Nevertheless, at the very least this will be quick and addictive read for young adult and middle grade readers.

This was an extract of the full book and I'm intrigued. There isn't enough story for me to be excited for the full book buy to say that it doesn't try to grab you within the first three chapters would not be fair to say. Maddie has a lot going on and you're curious to know how and why.

My biggest issue with this short read is it is slightly all over the place. The timeline of things and the information doesn't match up well to me and left me a bit confused. Shocking that all of this took place in a short amount of time but it caught my attention enough that if the book comes up on my radar when its release, I will more than likely read it.

I would read this book based on this first chapter. I've never read anything by this author but it seems like it would be good.

This was a very interesting sampler of the first few chapters that definitely had me wanting more.

I found the world to be incredibly interesting - our world with a magical realm hidden in the mountains. Such an interesting and original concept and I look forward to reading more about it when the book releases next year.

The blurb to Havenfall sounds really promising and this teaser left me so intrigued, i can't wait to pick up the whole book.

I was lucky enough to be able to preview a teaser excerpt of this exciting new YA book!

As this is only a teaser, I'll leave the synopsis from Bloomsbury (UK & ANZ) below for those who are interested:

"Summers at Havenfall’s famous Inn are Maddie Marrow's only solace from her dysfunctional existence. But the Inn is much more than a hotel, and life in Havenfall isn't without its secrets. Beneath the beautiful, sprawling manor in Colorado lie hidden gateways to other worlds, some long-sealed by ancient magic.

When a body is found on the grounds, the volatile peace brokered between these worlds is irrevocably compromised. What’s worse is that Maddie’s friend Brekken stands accused of the murder. With everything she loves at stake, Maddie must confront shocking truths about the dangers lurking beneath Havenfall – and discover who she really is."

I definitely felt like this book in the first couple of chapters had a mystery-murder feel to it, and the characters felt gritty and real from the get go!

I also 100% feel like the worldbuilding so early on is a great set-up and really got me hooked straight away! I loved how there is a subtle magic system so far, and not overly in-your-face. I felt that the chapters I read were fast-paced, and I hope that it is a sign of what is to come!

Based off what I have read so far, I'll give it a rating of 4/5 stars so far!

(This review will be shared as an 'upcoming release' post on my blog on Feb 18, 2020!)

The extract I reviewed was definitely too short :) - I wanted to learn more about Havenfall, it's Inn who's managed by Maddie's uncle, and Maddie herself. Being the daughter of a mother on death row, convicted for killing Maddie's older brother, is not easy and she looks forward to escaping to the bridge of three worlds. On her way there, Maddie's filled with unease, meeting two strangers who may impact the plot more than we're led to believe in the first chapter. I look forward to reading the entire book.

Ugh, only an excerpt! But a cracking one nonetheless. I’ve read Everless, and was less than impressed, but this book sounds fantastic. Maddie is an intriguing character, and so is Taya, the little we see of her. The setup of the inn at the ends of many worlds is one that feels immediately familiar and right. I can’t wait to read the rest of this book.

Thanks for the excerpt, NetGalley.

Very intruiging beginning to a an interesting book. The blurb sets the premise for a very promising story and the writing style is very easy and comfortable to read.
Would definitely buy Havenfall when it comes out.

As many commented, this is a teaser excerpt rather than a full book, so it is difficult to give a full review.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of this book and would like to read the rest. It fits firmly into the YA style, with a young heroine coping with the dissolution of her "normal" world by attempting to escape, quite literally, into the fantasy realm.

Here are some highlights:

- Character development. Those we encounter in the first few chapters are intriguing and realistic. Their troubles are unusual (such as Maddie's mom being on death row) and the layers of their motivations, hopes, and fears are peeled away gradually to reveal personalities that are believable and interesting. I also picked up some potential LGBT themes, but it's too early to tell for sure.

- World building. I love books which feature a collision between the regular modern world and the ancient and fantastical! Although we do not learn much about the fantasy worlds from the teaser, the small hints of these settings are quite promising.

- Writing style. The writing is natural and relatively fast-paced. The vocabulary is appropriate for a YA audience. Overall, the narration flows smoothly and keeps the reader engaged.

Aside from this, it is difficult to get a grasp on what the story will offer. However, it's off to a compelling start.

Very promising start to a next bestseller. I love this author but I can not give a full review since this book is just an extract. It did seem to feel the same as Sarah J. Maas.

I really enjoyed this extract. As much as I enjoyed Sara Holland's other books, Everless and Evermore, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read Havenfall. I don't typically enjoy contemporary settings in my fantasy books. But, that being said, I read this excerpt and was immediately drawn in. I actually really liked the contemporary elements in this story and Nathan's murder really hooked me. I love a good murder mystery and I can already tell there's so much more to this story than the typical "girl goes to fantasy world and saves everyone". I will definitely be adding this to my TBR.

A promising start! I was already gripped from the beginning. The writing style is rich and descriptive and I liked our protagonist, Maddie. In terms of world-building, I found it original and I'm excited to learn more about Havenfall and how it integrates into the real world. I will definitely pick up the book once it is released!

As this is only an extract, I cannot give a proper review. I will say, nice intro to the first chapter. I am quite interested to read more. Lovely cover with nice, vibrant colours.

I only read the first two chapters and I am already intrigued. I loved the author's first two novels, Nevermore and Neverless, I have been waiting to read her new novel since then. I love the fact that it mixes the modern world with a fantasy world and the character seems really interesting. I can't wait to read the rest of the novel.

I don't know anything about this book. I didn't even read the synopsis before requesting it. I just loved Sara Holland book Everless.
But the first few chapters of this has really got my attention. It instantly gripped me. This will jump to the top of my TBR when it is released. I'm excited to see how this develops.

I need the rest of it! I was granted access to the excerpt of Havenfall and I could not put it down! I recently read the Everless series by Holland, which made me a huge fan of her writing. This will be the perfect book for young adults who want a fantasy story, without it being too over the top. I cannot wait for the release next year! I am curious on how the different worlds work too: different worlds, different suns & moons, different weather, but only doored gateways and Havenfall between them.

I am super excited to read this and I was so happy when I got to read this extract. It sets up the story and the world really well and I am intrigued about what will happen next. This is one of my most anticipated reads and after reading this extract I can't wait to read more. The only reason I'm giving this three stars is because it's only an extract and I hope the story is as good as it looks from the beginning but you never know.

Being able to read an extract from Havenfall about 5 months before the release of the book is both amazing and cruel. This book promises a great story but only being able to read 2 chapters and having to wait 5 months before I can read more is very cruel. I cannot wait to read what troubles await Maddie at Havenfall and to get a better understanding of the different realms and the secrets they hold. This book will definitely be at the top of my 2020 TBR list and will be recommended to every single person who asks me what to read next.

After Everless, I really wanted to read more by Sara Holland. Evermore wasnt as great a read as Everless was, but I stll like her writing style.

And I have to say, this extract certainly made me curious for the rest of the book. I can't wait to read more.