Violet finally finds a place where she fits in. A supernatural school where she can harness her vision ability. But that’s not all she is. She’s far more deadly to vampires, which complicates things since she’s fallen for one.
Title: Winterhaven
Author: Kristi Cook
Genres: Fantasy > Paranormal > Vampires / Supernatural
Read Format: Kindle Edition
Total Pages: 1,224
Reading Date: 14th March 2025 – 22nd March 2025
The reading order – How to Read Winterhaven Series by Kristi Cook
- 1 Haven
- 2 Mirage
- 3 Eternal
Haven
Violet McKenna isn’t a normal girl with normal teenage issues; she has more to contend with than most people could handle. Violet thought she was just crazy when she had a vivid vision of her dad’s murder. Her life started falling apart when her premonition came true. She’s had flashes of other events too. The problem was nobody believed her until she found a new school: Winterhaven.
At Winterhaven, Violet finally feels like she belongs. She quickly finds a close group of friends and discovers that they too have psychic ‘gifts’–as do all the students at Winterhaven. But as soon as she feels settled she discovers the most intriguing and alluring boy she has ever met, and things quickly go awry.
As the attraction between them grows, intense visions of the boy’s death start to haunt her. In her premonitions, the secret he is unwilling to share begins to reveal itself. And to Violet’s horror, she learns that their destinies are intertwined in a critical–and deadly–way.
My thoughts…
I love reading stories set in boarding schools with supernatural themes, and it’s even better when the characters and the world are as well-developed as this book.
It feels like I’m there along with Violet in Winterhaven boarding school, experiencing all the wonder and discovery of herself. I especially love the bonding moments between Violet and her new friends, Cece, Sophie, Kate, and Marissa.
The strong bond of friendship among the girls, along with their supernatural abilities such as astral projection, telekinesis, mind reading, clairvoyance, and telepathy, promises an exciting story ahead.
I also enjoy guessing the story direction and the mystery behind Aidan Gray, the boy who caught Violet’s eyes. It’s more enjoyable for me because I didn’t read the book blurb before starting to read this book. You should try that!
Moving forward, Violet still has much to learn about her role as a Sâbbat, and when she turns eighteen, how will she and Aidan make their relationship work? Will Aidan succeed in creating the cure, or will Violet end up killing him? I doubt the latter, but only time will tell.
Mirage
Violet McKenna is back for her senior year at Winterhaven and is thrilled to be with Aidan after a long summer apart. But while their love for each other is as strong as ever, their troubles are far from over.
News of a rogue vampire on a killing spree sets everyone on edge. While Aidan is determined to stop the killer, Violet is chilled by a horrifying vision she simply must prevent…for if she can’t, two people she loves will meet a violent end.
In the midst of Violet’s fear, a mysterious newcomer enters her life—and he has some vital information not just about her past, but about her future as well.
Now everything Violet held as truth is upended, and she is left not knowing whom to trust, if she is in danger, and—worst of all—whether she and Aidan are really meant to be together.
My thoughts…
As we have established the world-building and characters in book one, I had hoped the second one would focus more on action rather than introducing newcomers or relationship dramas that the team experiences in this book.
I also expected the story to move forward with finding the other Sâbbats and Violet training with them. But it didn’t go that way. The concept of being a Sâbbat remains somewhat vague, but this book offered a deeper understanding, revealing that Sâbbats often paired with Megvédio, their male counterparts. I wonder, where would that leave Aidan?
Even though there isn’t much fighting action in this story, Violet does improve her control over her visions. Additionally, Aidan’s project on the cure for vampirism lands him in serious trouble, and a secret about his true lineage is on the verge of being uncovered.
Eternal
Forced to endure the violent punishment of the Tribunal for murders he has no recollection of committing, Aidan is slowly rotting away in a Paris dungeon. Violet is all but an unreachable dream to him now.
But unlike Aidan, Violet has not given up hope as she works tirelessly with Matthew, her guardian and protector, to prove Aidan’s innocence and unravel the haunting vision that plagues her thoughts—the death of someone closest to her.
Determined to set Aidan free, Violet discovers that a dangerous vampire war is brewing—and that Aidan may be at the centre of it all. It’s only when the war reaches the doors of Winterhaven and tragedy strikes the school that Violet has to finally accept her fate. But that could mean losing Aidan—forever.
With no other option, Violet must choose between true love and fulfilling her destiny…unless she can find a way to have them both.
My thoughts…
Well, well, well, didn’t we all see the reunion and the happily-ever-after coming? But, before that, there will be times when we have to shed some tears for the fallen comrades.
The second demise, I suppose, serves a purpose, however painful that may be. But the first one? I’m not entirely sure what its purpose is. I’ve grown attached to all the supporting characters, and losing them leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I wish it didn’t have to end that way.
Needless to say, Winterhaven is a great series featuring friendships, loyalty, hope, and love. The supporting characters are fantastic. However, the lack of action prevented me from giving it five stars. Had there been more action-packed moments, especially with a super team like them, the outcome might be different.
