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Haven
A summer retreat to an elite island enclave owned by a Big Tech company becomes a mother’s worst nightmare in this gripping thriller
After months of financial strain and escalating arguments, Caroline is relieved when her husband, Adam, secures a job at Corridor, a prestigious Big Tech company. Though his long hours on top-secret projects often leave Caroline alone with their newborn son, Gabriel, the life-changing income seems worth the sacrifice.
When Adam suggests a summer retreat to Haven, the exclusive island community that serves as Corridor’s base of operations, Caroline agrees, hoping the sun-soaked paradise will help Adam relax and bring their family closer. But she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right about the town. Though Adam assures her of their safety, the locals’ behavior is oddly secretive and ritualistic—even cultish. It’s clear that Corridor hasn’t resolved tensions about the way the company is transforming the island. And it doesn’t help that Adam’s colleagues seem to have a few strange beliefs of their own.
When Caroline wakes to discover that Gabriel is missing, her worst fears are confirmed. Desperate and unsure of whom to trust, she must race to find her son—and pull back the curtain on this elite enclave—before he is lost to the island forever.
Tensely plotted and terrifyingly prescient, Haven is a taut, darkly compelling exploration of the costs of innovation, the far limits of human progress, and the risks we’re willing to take for a brighter future.
After months of financial strain and escalating arguments, Caroline is relieved when her husband, Adam, secures a job at Corridor, a prestigious Big Tech company. Though his long hours on top-secret projects often leave Caroline alone with their newborn son, Gabriel, the life-changing income seems worth the sacrifice.
When Adam suggests a summer retreat to Haven, the exclusive island community that serves as Corridor’s base of operations, Caroline agrees, hoping the sun-soaked paradise will help Adam relax and bring their family closer. But she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right about the town. Though Adam assures her of their safety, the locals’ behavior is oddly secretive and ritualistic—even cultish. It’s clear that Corridor hasn’t resolved tensions about the way the company is transforming the island. And it doesn’t help that Adam’s colleagues seem to have a few strange beliefs of their own.
When Caroline wakes to discover that Gabriel is missing, her worst fears are confirmed. Desperate and unsure of whom to trust, she must race to find her son—and pull back the curtain on this elite enclave—before he is lost to the island forever.
Tensely plotted and terrifyingly prescient, Haven is a taut, darkly compelling exploration of the costs of innovation, the far limits of human progress, and the risks we’re willing to take for a brighter future.
256 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 5, 2025
A big thank you to Viking Penguin | Penguin Books, Netgalley, and Ani Katz for providing an ARC upon request!
This is an interesting short story that's half thriller, half current-day science fiction. It is about a new mother named Caroline who is married to a high-ranking executive in the tech sector (a la Silicon Valley and your average 'tech bro') and they go on a retreat to a mysterious island called Haven. Residing in a literal glass house with her husband and several of his friends, Caroline's life slowly begins to unravel in more ways than one, and the catalyst is the disappearance of her three month-old son, Gabriel.
Haven is one of those books that really hinges on how much you like and/or can tolerate an unreliable narrator. Caroline's POV tends to range from reliable to downright fever dream territory, and eventually the surrealism reaches Jodorowsky levels of bizarre. There's some reasons for this that can be inferred from the text in between the lines, but even that can be brought into question towards the end of the book. The characters aren't very likable by any means, but it is interesting to read about their backstories and learn where they stand in their Silicon Valley tech bro environment.
I got really into this book around the midway point. The beginning had me weary, wondering if it was going to be a 'female struggle' book with how Caroline described being a mom and a wife, but once details about Caroline are revealed it made me like her more as a morally grey protagonist. Afterwards, I couldn't stop reading because her and her friend's flaws actually made me more fascinated with her character.
However, I don't think it really sticks the landing at the end. I feel like it's a victim of its own short length, clocking in at 250 pages. This feels like a book that could have really benefitted from an extra 100 pages or so, as the last fifty pages felt like a breakneck pace compared to the rest of the book. I also wasn't crazy with how it ended, as it felt a little too much like tropey science fiction mixed with current day conspiracy theory. When I read the big reveal I couldn't help but feel like the Whoopi Goldberg "....okay." clip.
In conclusion, this is a short read that, regardless of where you fall on fever dream storytelling and unlikable characters, should keep you interested in reading more. It is not a female struggle book, rather a book about tech bro corruption and oligarchy, that slowly devolves into a dreamlike haze of events. Stick with it past the first two chapters and you may be pleasantly surprised,
This is an interesting short story that's half thriller, half current-day science fiction. It is about a new mother named Caroline who is married to a high-ranking executive in the tech sector (a la Silicon Valley and your average 'tech bro') and they go on a retreat to a mysterious island called Haven. Residing in a literal glass house with her husband and several of his friends, Caroline's life slowly begins to unravel in more ways than one, and the catalyst is the disappearance of her three month-old son, Gabriel.
Haven is one of those books that really hinges on how much you like and/or can tolerate an unreliable narrator. Caroline's POV tends to range from reliable to downright fever dream territory, and eventually the surrealism reaches Jodorowsky levels of bizarre. There's some reasons for this that can be inferred from the text in between the lines, but even that can be brought into question towards the end of the book. The characters aren't very likable by any means, but it is interesting to read about their backstories and learn where they stand in their Silicon Valley tech bro environment.
I got really into this book around the midway point. The beginning had me weary, wondering if it was going to be a 'female struggle' book with how Caroline described being a mom and a wife, but once details about Caroline are revealed it made me like her more as a morally grey protagonist. Afterwards, I couldn't stop reading because her and her friend's flaws actually made me more fascinated with her character.
However, I don't think it really sticks the landing at the end. I feel like it's a victim of its own short length, clocking in at 250 pages. This feels like a book that could have really benefitted from an extra 100 pages or so, as the last fifty pages felt like a breakneck pace compared to the rest of the book. I also wasn't crazy with how it ended, as it felt a little too much like tropey science fiction mixed with current day conspiracy theory. When I read the big reveal I couldn't help but feel like the Whoopi Goldberg "....okay." clip.
In conclusion, this is a short read that, regardless of where you fall on fever dream storytelling and unlikable characters, should keep you interested in reading more. It is not a female struggle book, rather a book about tech bro corruption and oligarchy, that slowly devolves into a dreamlike haze of events. Stick with it past the first two chapters and you may be pleasantly surprised,
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Haven tells the story of Caroline and her husband taking a summer retreat to Haven, an exclusive island, with their baby. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and everything slowly goes from bad to worse. This blurb itself is very promising, especially with the mysterious yet prestigious Big Tech company Corridor, the town that isn't quite right, the odd cultish local behavior, etc. But, well ...
The blurb itself made us expect some scenes that would be truly heart pounding and thrilling, along with other mysteries that might later be solved, both about Haven and Corridor. And to uncover all of that, of course, we need a little buildup, slowly revealing what's actually strange about the town or even Caroline herself and her friend. But unfortunately, I feel it's all a bit too half-done.
There are names like Haven, Corridor, Mosaic, or HEOL thrown everywhere. Promising and giving a tiny bit of sci-fi vibes and genre. But knowing what or who exactly they are is never clear enough. The worldbuilding feels incomplete. I often wonder if this is set in the near future or modern day but with more advanced technology? Because the company seems like a very advanced company. But that's all.
And I think, what the blurb says about the 'odd locals' or 'odd town' isn't very odd to me. I didn't feel scared or even concerned about whatever Caroline sees. Nothing really weird or traumatic happens. The characters too. I didn't find them really interesting. In fact, they're all super annoying to me. Nothing really stands out about them, and this also has something to do with the writing.
I'm not saying the author's writing is bad. It's good, even. Only when it comes to narration. Because once it comes to dialogue, the writing changes from good to bad. These characters speak childishly. I rolled my eyes so many times when they spoke nonsense and completely unimportant things. I'd rather read one page paragraphs than one page of them bickering about whatever the hell it is.
So, in the end, I am not satisfied with this book.
The blurb itself made us expect some scenes that would be truly heart pounding and thrilling, along with other mysteries that might later be solved, both about Haven and Corridor. And to uncover all of that, of course, we need a little buildup, slowly revealing what's actually strange about the town or even Caroline herself and her friend. But unfortunately, I feel it's all a bit too half-done.
There are names like Haven, Corridor, Mosaic, or HEOL thrown everywhere. Promising and giving a tiny bit of sci-fi vibes and genre. But knowing what or who exactly they are is never clear enough. The worldbuilding feels incomplete. I often wonder if this is set in the near future or modern day but with more advanced technology? Because the company seems like a very advanced company. But that's all.
And I think, what the blurb says about the 'odd locals' or 'odd town' isn't very odd to me. I didn't feel scared or even concerned about whatever Caroline sees. Nothing really weird or traumatic happens. The characters too. I didn't find them really interesting. In fact, they're all super annoying to me. Nothing really stands out about them, and this also has something to do with the writing.
I'm not saying the author's writing is bad. It's good, even. Only when it comes to narration. Because once it comes to dialogue, the writing changes from good to bad. These characters speak childishly. I rolled my eyes so many times when they spoke nonsense and completely unimportant things. I'd rather read one page paragraphs than one page of them bickering about whatever the hell it is.
So, in the end, I am not satisfied with this book.
October 6, 2025
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc!
when a book starts to enter fever dream territory, I’m already preparing myself for an underwhelming conclusion. nothing can be surprising because everything is too abstract and nothing is real and the characters feel like caricatures. that was my issue the back half of this book, but I really enjoyed the first half! I was so intrigued to figure out what was going on not only on the island but also with the tech company, the relationship dynamics, and to figure out everyone’s motive(s). unfortunately due to previously mentioned swan dive into fever dream vibes I didn’t get a super satisfying answer to those questions but alas. I do still recommend!
when a book starts to enter fever dream territory, I’m already preparing myself for an underwhelming conclusion. nothing can be surprising because everything is too abstract and nothing is real and the characters feel like caricatures. that was my issue the back half of this book, but I really enjoyed the first half! I was so intrigued to figure out what was going on not only on the island but also with the tech company, the relationship dynamics, and to figure out everyone’s motive(s). unfortunately due to previously mentioned swan dive into fever dream vibes I didn’t get a super satisfying answer to those questions but alas. I do still recommend!
March 6, 2026
“Haven” is a short sophomore novel (250 pages) from Ani Katz. Her previous work in 2020 was also a 220 page thriller called “A Good Man,” another story about a morally grey man. The main protagonist in “Haven” is Caroline, possibly an unreliable narrator, who is a young mother whose husband has taken a job at a Big Tech firm, named Corridor,has its own utopian retreat, Haven. Overall, this is a psychological thriller tinged with sci-fi and horror.
Caroline and her baby Gabriel have followed her workaholic husband, Adam, to his employer’s isolated island company town. This is a future world where most taxis are self driving vehicles, assisted suicide centers have storefront clinics, VR is taken in-stride, and elderly rich people wear bio-jewelry that’s improving their lifestyle. Corridor’s competitors not only also own their own towns, but half of states like north North Dakota.
They meet up with Adam’s co-workers, all working on “you-know-what,” although Caroline is clueless. And then we return to the prologue — 3 month old Gabriel is missing and absolutely everything about his disappearance is sinister. The story did seem imaginative, but it’s such a downer that you wonder if Caroline is living a fever dream. Corridor is supposedly “infrastructure-focused” but what does that mean if they’re covering up her son’s disappearance? I usually can handle dystopian fairy tales, but “Haven” left me uneasy. Almost all the characters are unlikable and my opinion of Caroline kept shifting. This turned out to be a horror story and I was glad I did not need to suffer through another 100 pages. 2.5 stars.
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO But Caroline has impossibly colored grey eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But in this world it’s possible everything is bio-engineered.
Thank you to Penguin Viking and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!
Caroline and her baby Gabriel have followed her workaholic husband, Adam, to his employer’s isolated island company town. This is a future world where most taxis are self driving vehicles, assisted suicide centers have storefront clinics, VR is taken in-stride, and elderly rich people wear bio-jewelry that’s improving their lifestyle. Corridor’s competitors not only also own their own towns, but half of states like north North Dakota.
They meet up with Adam’s co-workers, all working on “you-know-what,” although Caroline is clueless. And then we return to the prologue — 3 month old Gabriel is missing and absolutely everything about his disappearance is sinister. The story did seem imaginative, but it’s such a downer that you wonder if Caroline is living a fever dream. Corridor is supposedly “infrastructure-focused” but what does that mean if they’re covering up her son’s disappearance? I usually can handle dystopian fairy tales, but “Haven” left me uneasy. Almost all the characters are unlikable and my opinion of Caroline kept shifting. This turned out to be a horror story and I was glad I did not need to suffer through another 100 pages. 2.5 stars.
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO But Caroline has impossibly colored grey eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But in this world it’s possible everything is bio-engineered.
Thank you to Penguin Viking and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!
Read
March 14, 2026How much i want bath my soul and heart
dive to surch what rong
poop to know many lost paper at book of my life
island got my nervs
how i dream by world full by color
island hunt my unsteady life
grey eyes full around
rain truth my sky
dream or imgation i live in
life colored nt my fav
search for truth
for y
dive to surch what rong
poop to know many lost paper at book of my life
island got my nervs
how i dream by world full by color
island hunt my unsteady life
grey eyes full around
rain truth my sky
dream or imgation i live in
life colored nt my fav
search for truth
for y
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oh no, I really didn't like this book.
Nothing really happens for more than the first half of the book. By the time the baby finally went missing and there was a hint of excitement to come, I was pretty much over it and didn't care much about whether or not they found Gabriel. Even the "thrilling" bits missed the mark for me, leaving me feeling like calling Haven a thriller is a bit of a stretch.
Upon discovering the baby is missing, Caroline and the other grownass adults in this book immediately decide his abduction is all a part of a conspiracy and then run around the island like the gang from Scooby Doo trying to solve a mystery. It was... weird.
I didn't like or care about any of the characters. With the exception of Caroline and one other character, all of the people she was staying with blurred together. There were too many of them.
There was one scene where many of them share a past trauma that should have humanized them in a way that made me care, but it didn't work. None of them were especially likeable or unlikeable - they just existed.
The book takes place in the near future and there was a vague sci-fi element that felt only partially formed and a lot of it was bogged down by too many company names and phrases. It's possible we are meant to be as confused about the tech world Caroline's husband and friends are a part of as she is, but if that's true, I don't like the way it was done.
I don't know, I always try to say something positive about a book when I didn't absolutely hate it, but I feel like this book is just... there. It's a book! There are some bits about motherhood I am sure some parents could relate to, but I don't know if that small part makes it worth the read.
I'm looking forward to reading positive reviews of this book though because maybe they can shed some light on something I missed.
I received an ARC from Viking Books.
Nothing really happens for more than the first half of the book. By the time the baby finally went missing and there was a hint of excitement to come, I was pretty much over it and didn't care much about whether or not they found Gabriel. Even the "thrilling" bits missed the mark for me, leaving me feeling like calling Haven a thriller is a bit of a stretch.
Upon discovering the baby is missing, Caroline and the other grownass adults in this book immediately decide his abduction is all a part of a conspiracy and then run around the island like the gang from Scooby Doo trying to solve a mystery. It was... weird.
I didn't like or care about any of the characters. With the exception of Caroline and one other character, all of the people she was staying with blurred together. There were too many of them.
There was one scene where many of them share a past trauma that should have humanized them in a way that made me care, but it didn't work. None of them were especially likeable or unlikeable - they just existed.
The book takes place in the near future and there was a vague sci-fi element that felt only partially formed and a lot of it was bogged down by too many company names and phrases. It's possible we are meant to be as confused about the tech world Caroline's husband and friends are a part of as she is, but if that's true, I don't like the way it was done.
I don't know, I always try to say something positive about a book when I didn't absolutely hate it, but I feel like this book is just... there. It's a book! There are some bits about motherhood I am sure some parents could relate to, but I don't know if that small part makes it worth the read.
I'm looking forward to reading positive reviews of this book though because maybe they can shed some light on something I missed.
I received an ARC from Viking Books.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, author Ani Katz, and Viking Penguin for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
2.5 rounded up? I think? Oof, this one was really heavy. I'm all about weird books, but this might have been a step too far for me. This will not be for everyone; I would definitely check some reviews and maybe content flags before reading. However, I will say, this book has EXCELLENT pacing. Katz drew me in immediately to the story and world-building. Once the book hit the halfway point, this is where things really started picking up speed, and it literally felt like a car crash I couldn't look away from. This is set in a near-future, and while I do wish some aspects of the time period were better fleshed out, the sense of not-knowing almost made it eerier. The setting of Haven is unsettling, and even from the start, there was a pulsing discomfort throughout each of the characters. There are some shocking conversations and scenes peppered throughout, and I do wish we got more of a sense of who these people (besides from Caroline) actually are. I liked Caroline as a protagonist, her flaws and all. The reveal at the end was pretty shocking to me, and although I was confused in certain ways at first, I think it did straighten out by the closing. This was a book that left me feeling unsettled and grim, which is not my preferred when reading a book. In ways, I think the tone and quite frankly violence of this near future book reminded me in ways of The Compound by Aisling Rawle last year. That book didn't quite work for me, and I do think I enjoyed this read more, but I feel like if you're fans of one, I would recommend the other to at least try.
2.5 rounded up? I think? Oof, this one was really heavy. I'm all about weird books, but this might have been a step too far for me. This will not be for everyone; I would definitely check some reviews and maybe content flags before reading. However, I will say, this book has EXCELLENT pacing. Katz drew me in immediately to the story and world-building. Once the book hit the halfway point, this is where things really started picking up speed, and it literally felt like a car crash I couldn't look away from. This is set in a near-future, and while I do wish some aspects of the time period were better fleshed out, the sense of not-knowing almost made it eerier. The setting of Haven is unsettling, and even from the start, there was a pulsing discomfort throughout each of the characters. There are some shocking conversations and scenes peppered throughout, and I do wish we got more of a sense of who these people (besides from Caroline) actually are. I liked Caroline as a protagonist, her flaws and all. The reveal at the end was pretty shocking to me, and although I was confused in certain ways at first, I think it did straighten out by the closing. This was a book that left me feeling unsettled and grim, which is not my preferred when reading a book. In ways, I think the tone and quite frankly violence of this near future book reminded me in ways of The Compound by Aisling Rawle last year. That book didn't quite work for me, and I do think I enjoyed this read more, but I feel like if you're fans of one, I would recommend the other to at least try.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
I had to sleep on this one before I could review it or even decide on a rating. I'm going with 3.5 stars rounded up.
The first part of this book reads like a mom suffering from postpartum psychosis, with a touch of drinking while taking what I assumed to be benzos. The second half is an abrupt shift into a mystery novel while Caroline tries to find out what's happened to her son.
Both halves are weird. This may actually be the most unreliable narrator I have ever encountered, and nothing is explained. Bizarre things happen and are breezed past, the tertiary characters behave insanely, technology is introduced with no real understanding of what it does.
To be clear: I love unreliable narrators. That instantly makes any book more intriguing for me. My main reason for rating this book 3.5 stars is because the two halves of the book are so disparate. It's like someone stitched two different stories together and the abrupt change of pace is jarring. I found it odd how some of the themes so heavily portrayed in the first half are completely abandoned in the second half. And even though the ending does pan out, it's still just a little bit under explained. I think I understand what I read? But I wouldn't want to try to write an English essay about it!
Overall worth reading if you're like me and into weird books with unreliable narrators. It definitely got into my head a few times despite being so short.
I had to sleep on this one before I could review it or even decide on a rating. I'm going with 3.5 stars rounded up.
The first part of this book reads like a mom suffering from postpartum psychosis, with a touch of drinking while taking what I assumed to be benzos. The second half is an abrupt shift into a mystery novel while Caroline tries to find out what's happened to her son.
Both halves are weird. This may actually be the most unreliable narrator I have ever encountered, and nothing is explained. Bizarre things happen and are breezed past, the tertiary characters behave insanely, technology is introduced with no real understanding of what it does.
To be clear: I love unreliable narrators. That instantly makes any book more intriguing for me. My main reason for rating this book 3.5 stars is because the two halves of the book are so disparate. It's like someone stitched two different stories together and the abrupt change of pace is jarring. I found it odd how some of the themes so heavily portrayed in the first half are completely abandoned in the second half. And even though the ending does pan out, it's still just a little bit under explained. I think I understand what I read? But I wouldn't want to try to write an English essay about it!
Overall worth reading if you're like me and into weird books with unreliable narrators. It definitely got into my head a few times despite being so short.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 / 5 stars -
Thank you Netgalley and Ani Katz for the advanced copy! If you know me, you know I'm all for weird, eccentric novels (It's by far my favorite genre).
For 40% of the book, I had no clue what was going on - other than our main character, Caroline, and her husband decide to go on a mini retreat to Haven for their summer holidays. Towards the first half of the novel, we get backstory on the start of their marriage, Adam's job at Corridor (rather vaguely), then their time at Haven with Adam's friends. The main bit of knowledge I've retained from this part of the book is that their version of monogamy is different from mine, and all of Adam's friends are strange.
The plot begins to pick up at the 52% mark where a series of unfortunate events unfold - Caroline bringing her baby to a yacht, giving said baby to a group of young girls, proceeding to makeout with Adam's friend, and forgetting everything that occurred that evening. At this point, Adam is temporarily away due to work-related reasons. Unfortunately, Caroline is gaslighted by the police and we start to feel the unease of this cultish island, Haven.
Without spoiling much of this story, Adam reveals significant information about his work that illuminates why their baby could be gone. Am I shocked here? Not really. It felt like it came out of a Black Mirror episode, in a good way. I'm here for a futuristic plot that edges on the border of fantasy and reality.
I'll end with this note - I knew something was shifty with her husband, it's just not what I thought it was originally lol.
Thank you Netgalley and Ani Katz for the advanced copy! If you know me, you know I'm all for weird, eccentric novels (It's by far my favorite genre).
For 40% of the book, I had no clue what was going on - other than our main character, Caroline, and her husband decide to go on a mini retreat to Haven for their summer holidays. Towards the first half of the novel, we get backstory on the start of their marriage, Adam's job at Corridor (rather vaguely), then their time at Haven with Adam's friends. The main bit of knowledge I've retained from this part of the book is that their version of monogamy is different from mine, and all of Adam's friends are strange.
The plot begins to pick up at the 52% mark where a series of unfortunate events unfold - Caroline bringing her baby to a yacht, giving said baby to a group of young girls, proceeding to makeout with Adam's friend, and forgetting everything that occurred that evening. At this point, Adam is temporarily away due to work-related reasons. Unfortunately, Caroline is gaslighted by the police and we start to feel the unease of this cultish island, Haven.
Without spoiling much of this story, Adam reveals significant information about his work that illuminates why their baby could be gone. Am I shocked here? Not really. It felt like it came out of a Black Mirror episode, in a good way. I'm here for a futuristic plot that edges on the border of fantasy and reality.
I'll end with this note - I knew something was shifty with her husband, it's just not what I thought it was originally lol.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“Haven” is by Any Katz. For me, this book was a difficult one to get into. I felt like the atmosphere/culture was so over the top (think frat house combined with money) that it almost seemed like a parody of the “tech bro” culture. I couldn’t ever really understand Caroline - was she really passive, did she just not care, was she unreliable, was she losing it? The other characters all seemed to blur together for me - from the people in the house to the people on the beach - and it was difficult for me to keep track of who was doing what (I’m not sure I ever figured out a “why”). This book has science fiction elements yet was set in the near future and while things were off and odd, it became a bit too bewildering (maybe that was the point?). For me, this book didn’t work - the locals weren’t as “odd” as I imagined … nothing weird seem to happen (abstract, yes, weird, not really). Also, the first chapter, where Caroline discovers her son missing, was well done - it was gripping, but then the book took its sweet time getting back to that point, which put me off - yet at the same time, the ending felt super rushed … so pacing was a huge issue for me. Would I recommend this book - maybe, if you like abstract stories mixed with unreliable narrators.
“Haven” is by Any Katz. For me, this book was a difficult one to get into. I felt like the atmosphere/culture was so over the top (think frat house combined with money) that it almost seemed like a parody of the “tech bro” culture. I couldn’t ever really understand Caroline - was she really passive, did she just not care, was she unreliable, was she losing it? The other characters all seemed to blur together for me - from the people in the house to the people on the beach - and it was difficult for me to keep track of who was doing what (I’m not sure I ever figured out a “why”). This book has science fiction elements yet was set in the near future and while things were off and odd, it became a bit too bewildering (maybe that was the point?). For me, this book didn’t work - the locals weren’t as “odd” as I imagined … nothing weird seem to happen (abstract, yes, weird, not really). Also, the first chapter, where Caroline discovers her son missing, was well done - it was gripping, but then the book took its sweet time getting back to that point, which put me off - yet at the same time, the ending felt super rushed … so pacing was a huge issue for me. Would I recommend this book - maybe, if you like abstract stories mixed with unreliable narrators.
February 15, 2026
As always, thank you PRH audio, for this INCREDIBLE ALC.
This story begins with Caro (Caroline) and Adam arriving late to the ferry with their infant son Gabriel. They’re set to stay in the “space” house on the island, Haven with a group of Adam’s coworkers.
Caroline is reasonably nervous, and her social anxieties and first time mom frustration while everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves is so relatable it hurts. When Adam is called back to work, all Caro wants is a break. Instead, she has to poop on a beach. (I’m not kidding lmao)
As she settles in with the group, we’re shown vivid imagery of a cult like island with age old rituals they’re not ready to retire. Today’s climate makes this all the more relevant, and I enjoyed the shared disgust. But is that the real problem on this island, or is it all a show? We take a long journey when Gabriel is snatched, and Caro scours the island for her son. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself?
This was a five star read and the end, while not what I hoped, still packed a realistic wtf. Somewhere between horror and a thriller, I fell in love with this author.
This story begins with Caro (Caroline) and Adam arriving late to the ferry with their infant son Gabriel. They’re set to stay in the “space” house on the island, Haven with a group of Adam’s coworkers.
Caroline is reasonably nervous, and her social anxieties and first time mom frustration while everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves is so relatable it hurts. When Adam is called back to work, all Caro wants is a break. Instead, she has to poop on a beach. (I’m not kidding lmao)
As she settles in with the group, we’re shown vivid imagery of a cult like island with age old rituals they’re not ready to retire. Today’s climate makes this all the more relevant, and I enjoyed the shared disgust. But is that the real problem on this island, or is it all a show? We take a long journey when Gabriel is snatched, and Caro scours the island for her son. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself?
This was a five star read and the end, while not what I hoped, still packed a realistic wtf. Somewhere between horror and a thriller, I fell in love with this author.
November 3, 2025
this one was so fun. I was instantly absorbed and intrigued by the weirdness of Haven, of Adam's work and his weird rich tech-bro friend group. it was all very up my alley.
when shit started getting really weird I was also very on board. I thought it escalated at a really great pace and I couldn't put it down!!! that said, I found the ending a bit disappointing. it felt like there were some loose ends that didn't get tied up - not in a fun, intentional-feeling way, more like maybe Katz was trying to do too much with it at once and lost track. still, this was a creepy one that I enjoyed very much, was definitely the kind of read I was looking for.
thanks for the arc! excited for this one to hit the shelves
when shit started getting really weird I was also very on board. I thought it escalated at a really great pace and I couldn't put it down!!! that said, I found the ending a bit disappointing. it felt like there were some loose ends that didn't get tied up - not in a fun, intentional-feeling way, more like maybe Katz was trying to do too much with it at once and lost track. still, this was a creepy one that I enjoyed very much, was definitely the kind of read I was looking for.
thanks for the arc! excited for this one to hit the shelves
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, Viking Penguin, for providing the copy of Haven by Ani Katz. I don’t think this book was for me. The writing felt unemotional and unengaging, so I had to try a few times before I could make any headway. After I started to get interested, a distasteful scene of the MFC having stomach issues and running into the bay to relieve herself! Ugh, that is not something I would ever want to read about! I kept hoping it would get better, but I didn’t understand the conversations or relationships between the friends. I could see it being reworked into a movie or a mini-series, but it didn’t work as a book. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for the premise and the big reveal.
February 18, 2026
Thank you @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook!
This was a wild fever dream of a book that I could not stop listening! I l devoured this in one day and some of the scenes and themes felt very relevant to the current issues in the world 🥴 highly recommend for any fans of culty horror, isolated islands, secret societies, and wild plots!
This was a wild fever dream of a book that I could not stop listening! I l devoured this in one day and some of the scenes and themes felt very relevant to the current issues in the world 🥴 highly recommend for any fans of culty horror, isolated islands, secret societies, and wild plots!
March 11, 2026
Honestly from the jump this book sounded so so good and it was pretty good. The writing was good and descriptive and the story had a perfect amount of eerie and weirdness. I feel towards the end it got pretty confusing which is probably on me but it made it a bit frustrating to not fully understand at points like i feel like should have gotten the memo. Either way i would definitely recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Very unique and interesting premise. Haven kept me guessing right up until the very end. My one critique is that I wish the novel went a little deeper with the future world-building, like how society/technology has changed, though I did like the mystery that surrounded a lot of it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was just ... bizzare. None of the characters were likeable and Caroline just seemed along for the ride and not really engaged on what was happening around her. It's almost like this story wanted to be so many things but couldn't stick to one idea.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While the premise was initially intriguing, the manner of the creepy island secret society reveal was tiresomely formulaic and even in some of its iterations, borderline conspiratorial (and not in the fun way).
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This ended up being a lot different than I expected it to be. There were too many acid trip type scenes and not enough thrill and suspense for me. With that said I do think readers that like really unusual books would probably enjoy this one.
March 10, 2026
Super fast-paced intriguing read. I have so many questions about the ending, but that's a sign of a great novel. Wish it were longer and had gotten more of a backstory on all of the characters - otherwise very well-written and exciting/horrifying in equal amounts.
Want to read
February 21, 2026A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
March 12, 2026
Very midsommar but make it ~ tech cult ~ and toss children into the mix. Definitely gave me the heebie jeebies, but didn't fully land for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For most of this horror thriller, the narrative remains intentionally opaque, which helps to build tension. While I generally appreciate gradual reveals, I struggle with passive protagonists, and Caroline remains largely a passenger in her own life. Even when events push her toward action, she never truly takes the reins. And that ending—I wanted to shake her to snap her out of it!
While the writing is strong, the dialogue often falls flat and several loose ends are left untied. Ultimately, my frustration outweighed my enjoyment, and this one didn't work for me.
thanks viking penguin and netgalley for the arc! <3
While the writing is strong, the dialogue often falls flat and several loose ends are left untied. Ultimately, my frustration outweighed my enjoyment, and this one didn't work for me.
thanks viking penguin and netgalley for the arc! <3
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