False Haven

by Rebecca Rook

False Haven is a young adult horror novel for fans of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, Asylum by Madeleine Roux, and Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff.

Seventeen-year-old Vivienne Barston’s life has fallen apart.

With her mother recently dead, her father disappears into his grief – leaving Viv to deal with her sadness and anger alone. Viv turns to destructive behaviors like petty vandalism, but after a disturbing stint in a juvenile detention center frightens her, Viv agrees to a court mandated service opportunity designed to expunge her record. The deal: work for six weeks with a trail conservation crew in the rural woods of southern Oregon, and she’ll be free with a clean slate.

She knows it’s her last chance to fix her life.

When Viv arrives at the small town of Hard Luck, Oregon, she meets her motley crewmates, all with troubles of their own. The unusual group travels to Grafton Stake, a remote and derelict former asylum with a haunted history–and now Viv must face the ghosts of the past while fighting for her future.

238 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2024

About the author

Rebecca Rook designs tabletop games, writes books, makes art, and lives in the Pacific Northwest with two wonderful dogs. A 2021-2022 Hugo House Fellow in Seattle, WA, she also attended the 2021 Tin House YA Fiction Workshop in Portland, OR. Prior to this, she completed the wonderful Yearlong Workshop for Young Adult and Middle Grade Fiction at Hugo House. She writes fantasy, thriller, and horror fiction.

Reviews

[Heather Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of False Haven in exchange for an honest review.

This was a decent YA horror/thriller with paranormal elements. Normally, I love anything that revolves around mental institutions or abandoned asylums, which was the main focus of this book. Something about False Haven, however, just slightly missed the mark for me.

Though I loved the premise of this story, I had a hard time connecting to the characters, and the writing style wasn't really for me. This could have been because it is a YA novel, and I, myself, am no longer a young adult. This is obviously no fault of the book's, but I do sort of wonder if I would have enjoyed this more in my late teens/early 20's.

All in all, however, I think it has a good storyline. I love the background revolving around a group of troubled youths, coupled with an outdoorsy element and a looming, creepy asylum. I also love that we get to go along for the ride as Viv and the other characters uncover the sinister truth about Grafton Stake.

[Christi M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Scary, suspenseful, and entertaining!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Viv shares her story at the Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Viv reaches a low point in her life and agrees to work with a conservation crew if it means starting with a clean slate. Viv encounters various people from all walks of life and from living with them, Viv learns a lot about their characters. Bit by bit Viv's past intervenes in her attempt at starting fresh, especially as Viv's spaciness and lack of presence results in falling out with the friends she once made during her time in Oregon. This is a slow-burn psychological story, following Viv's state of mind and journey with her crewmates as they experience hardship and horrors.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I went into it with no knowledge on what it was about. It was a spooky and creepy horror read. It kept my attention, so I got through it pretty fast. I would recommend this as a young adult horror for people who enjoy the genre.

[Puisan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read this book, I truly felt like I had become Viviene and was her throughout the entire ordeal. I felt cold, wet and muggy…like I’d been the one doing all the heavy work. I felt the pain of losing a parent. I felt the disappointment of being unseen by the remaining parent. I felt the desperation of needing a break. Most of all I feel her fears, her despairs and her hopes for a potential future. Any book that made you feel this way is so worth the read. Highly recommended!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a young adult thriller.

At the start, the writing had a dark tone that intrigued me. As I read on, however, I found that I didn't really warm to any of the characters. I didn't really connect with or identify with any of them, and after a while I started to lose focus. I think I may have enjoyed reading this more as a teenager.

Thank you to Booksprout and the author for a free copy to review.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was everything that I was looking for from this type of book, it had everything that I was looking for in a horror element. The characters were what I was hoping for and were written perfectly and worked with the universe. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end and glad it worked with the story. Rebecca Rook has a great writing style and enjoyed how strong the story was.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.