After the tragic death of her brother, Francis is left without options. A poor resident of Gilded Age New York, she works at a dress shop until a dangerous event awakens the power sleeping in her veins. Whisked off to the mysterious Haxahaven Academy, she is trained in manual magic: from threading a needle with her mind to making a flower bloom. Unsatisfied with the mundanity of her new life, Francis and two other young witches work to uncover the mystery of her brother's death. But sinister secrets hide in Haxahaven's gilded halls, and magic may just be more dangerous than it seems.

Full of wonder, witches, and the whimsical The Witch Haven was an enchanting read! The novel combines Gilded Age New York, secret societies, murder, and witches together seamlessly. Though it was clear that the period was portrayed with modern bias, it was nice to exist in a world familiar but totally original. The magic was clearly well-thought-out, but the book was light on the worldbuilding so it was easy to get lost in the story.

Frances was an interesting main character who has the makings of a truly stunning lead heroine. She is smart, (most of the time), loyal, powerful, and just a little wicked. Her grief is constantly present throughout the story, and yet it doesn't take away from her character or her adventures. Though I strongly suspected how the romance would end, I cannot wait to see how it develops in book two!

What really made The Witch Haven stand apart were the strong female relationships that grounded the story. Each witch had a different background, a different past, a different personality. Yet they worked together not because they had to, but because they wanted to. The main trio had a deep bond of sisterhood and love that was never overshadowed by the storyline or the romances. They were forces on their own, but together, they became unstoppable. I often find that female relationships in books--YA especially--are either toxic or underdeveloped. That was not the case here. The Witch Haven focused more on the bonds between women than how they should have hated each other, and the characters had real, undeniable chemistry.

All in all, this was an excellent start to what I hope will be a stellar series. If you loved Harry Potter but wanted it to be inclusive and feminist with a dark twist, this is for you. If you loved The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy but wished it had more magic, murder, and mayhem, then this is for you. If you loved Three Dark Crowns but wanted the sisters to work together instead of trying to kill each other, then this definitely is for you. Basically, if you like witches, YA, and/or sisterhood, The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith should definitely be your next read!