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Guards of the Shadowlands #1
Sanctum
“My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Find a way out. Simple.”
A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.
As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.
A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.
As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.
417 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2012
764 people are currently reading
17617 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Fine
52 books2,002 followersWhen I'm not writing, I'm psychologizing (really, I even get a paycheck for it). Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.
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To receive updates on new releases, sales, and bonus material, go to http://sarahfinebooks.com/ and click at the top of the page to sign up for the newsletter.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahFineBooks/
Instagram: Sarah.e.fine
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,172 reviews
February 2, 2013
THIS. This is absolutely not what I expected. But I mean that in a very good way.
4.5 stars. Believe what your friends are telling you about this book. It's all true.
Sanctum is unlike anything I've read before. It will be given a place of honor alongside various other books I've read featuring some sort of mystery involving a foreboding struggle with the darkness that surrounds the main characters. I love this stuff. These types of books are the ones which tend to stand out in my mind for bringing something unique to the table. This book had action, intrigue, shock value, sexual tension, and strong characters - all brought to us in one power-packed punch.
Warning : This book covers the subjects of suicide and rape.
This does not mean that Sanctum was without fault. I struggled with some of the world building. In one moment, I felt like too much information was being thrown at me. In the next moment, I felt like I'd somehow missed out a vital piece of information. If the pacing had been a little more even, I think I'd be somewhat less confused about some of the functions of the city and the different races and positions. Although I had a few moments of struggle, I fully appreciated this unique take on a "purgatory-like" world, where dead people were placed in holding until the final verdict would be given in regard to their fate. In fact, this particular world was only one of many. Each world is linked to a type of death. In this book, we were dealing with the realm of suicide (not a spoiler if you've read the book summary). I wonder if we'll ever see any of the other realms.
If I had to name one of the most creative features of this book, it had to be the dark tower which has the ability to bring back your worst fears and nightmares. And it was smack dab in the middle of the city. Talk about something making travel a bitch! One other part of the story which struck me as unusual, but somehow managed to work, was the tie-in to the holocaust. This tie came from out of nowhere, but it added a different element to the bigger picture.
The world is bleak, but there is a shred of hope... For as dark as the vibe was, there was also a heavy element of romance. In fact, I was surprised at how much romance played a part in such a heavy tale. Being who I am, this means I wasn't complaining. I found it somewhat strange to see just how much Lela pushed herself on Malachi, given her background, but *serious swoon* over the intensity between this couple.
I suppose I could talk about the characters. Let's go ahead and do that.
Lela - You'll never hear me complaining about strong, kick-ass females who are loyal to the people they care about. She still carries the scars of her past, but she's willing to fight through it.
Malachi - Horrible name - hot man. Again, you'll never hear me complaining about a lethal, protective, ethical, male guardian-type. I had a friend compare these two to Rose and Dimitri and I can vaguely see it because of the dynamic. I also see shades of Yelena and Valek.
Raphael - I have no idea why, but I laughed my ass off every time he was described as the "most average looking man she'd ever seen." I have a fascination with him and his sexy grey eyes, yet I don't know if I'm supposed to like him or not.
Anyway, before this review spins out of control, I'll leave you with this : If you're looking for something different and dark, but still want the element of hope and love to be present somewhere up in the mix, you'll want to be checking this out.
Anna, thanks for the buddy read. I don't think I can top your fab high five (Ms. Fey is my idol), but I can possibly out-zany it.
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It's dangerous to fall in love in hell.
4.5 stars. Believe what your friends are telling you about this book. It's all true.
Sanctum is unlike anything I've read before. It will be given a place of honor alongside various other books I've read featuring some sort of mystery involving a foreboding struggle with the darkness that surrounds the main characters. I love this stuff. These types of books are the ones which tend to stand out in my mind for bringing something unique to the table. This book had action, intrigue, shock value, sexual tension, and strong characters - all brought to us in one power-packed punch.
Warning : This book covers the subjects of suicide and rape.
This does not mean that Sanctum was without fault. I struggled with some of the world building. In one moment, I felt like too much information was being thrown at me. In the next moment, I felt like I'd somehow missed out a vital piece of information. If the pacing had been a little more even, I think I'd be somewhat less confused about some of the functions of the city and the different races and positions. Although I had a few moments of struggle, I fully appreciated this unique take on a "purgatory-like" world, where dead people were placed in holding until the final verdict would be given in regard to their fate. In fact, this particular world was only one of many. Each world is linked to a type of death. In this book, we were dealing with the realm of suicide (not a spoiler if you've read the book summary). I wonder if we'll ever see any of the other realms.
If I had to name one of the most creative features of this book, it had to be the dark tower which has the ability to bring back your worst fears and nightmares. And it was smack dab in the middle of the city. Talk about something making travel a bitch! One other part of the story which struck me as unusual, but somehow managed to work, was the tie-in to the holocaust. This tie came from out of nowhere, but it added a different element to the bigger picture.
The world is bleak, but there is a shred of hope... For as dark as the vibe was, there was also a heavy element of romance. In fact, I was surprised at how much romance played a part in such a heavy tale. Being who I am, this means I wasn't complaining. I found it somewhat strange to see just how much Lela pushed herself on Malachi, given her background, but *serious swoon* over the intensity between this couple.
I suppose I could talk about the characters. Let's go ahead and do that.
Lela - You'll never hear me complaining about strong, kick-ass females who are loyal to the people they care about. She still carries the scars of her past, but she's willing to fight through it.
I wanted Malachi to see me as whole. Not broken. Not used.
"You amaze me."
"You admire my capacity to injure myself or to take a beating and keep going?"
Malachi - Horrible name - hot man. Again, you'll never hear me complaining about a lethal, protective, ethical, male guardian-type. I had a friend compare these two to Rose and Dimitri and I can vaguely see it because of the dynamic. I also see shades of Yelena and Valek.
Malachi had, hands down, the most impressive male physique I'd ever seen up close. I couldn't stop staring. I guess running around a giant city and hunting venomous animal people probably resulted in some pretty great definition.
"The great Malachi is capable of panic?"
His jaw scraped against my skin as he whispered in my ear. "Where you are concerned, it appears I am capable of just about anything."
Raphael - I have no idea why, but I laughed my ass off every time he was described as the "most average looking man she'd ever seen." I have a fascination with him and his sexy grey eyes, yet I don't know if I'm supposed to like him or not.
Anyway, before this review spins out of control, I'll leave you with this : If you're looking for something different and dark, but still want the element of hope and love to be present somewhere up in the mix, you'll want to be checking this out.
"Malachi, can I be with you right now, wherever you are?" He moved very slowly, as if afraid he would wake my memories and fears.
"I thought you'd never ask," he said very softly. "Yes."
Anna, thanks for the buddy read. I don't think I can top your fab high five (Ms. Fey is my idol), but I can possibly out-zany it.
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November 26, 2012
4.5 stars
I have book ADD, I really do. Even when I like a book, by the time I reach the second half, I get impatient, eager to be done with it and be free to discover a new world. It’s a definite downside of having so many books to choose from, and it’s something I need to work on.
Therefore, I was more than a little surprised by the enormity of my despair when I reached the last page of Sanctum. It’s rare that a book leaves me desperate for more. Sarah Fine’s rich and imaginative world, although grim and depressing, captivated me entirely. She almost (but not quite, I’m not crazy) made me want to visit Suicide City and look around for myself. It is where suicide victims end up, condemned to wander the city, lost in their own despair. Can you imagine a more hopeless place in this world or the next? And for the very few conscious enough to want to escape or cause trouble, there are the guards, merciless creatures led by a human, their fearless Captain, Malachi.
Enter Lela, a worthy, if somewhat unconventional heroine. She came to Suicide City willingly, to save he best and only friend, not knowing what she might have to do, but ready for any kind of sacrifice. From the very first page of Sanctum, the readers know they won’t be getting a Mary Sue: she smokes, she curses, and she beats up bullies with terrifying ease. It takes a while for her tender side to be revealed, but she is lovable from the very start.
And Malachi… oooops, there goes my dignity! I haven’t felt so strongly about a fictional character since Sean Kendrick and I doubt I will anytime soon. With his warmth and Lela’s unflinching bravery, it’s no wonder they’re my new favorite couple. Which brings me to the girl I can’t stop thinking about – Lela Santos. Some would say she’s damaged beyond repair, and in some ways, they’d probably be right. But there’s so much love and hope in her, despite not having had an ounce of luck her entire life.
Sanctum is a dark, dark book, and although most of it happens in this hellish, unreal place, the horrors described are very real. Brief glimpses of Lela’s past were more than enough to make me want to run the other way, but I guess I absorbed some of her astonishing bravery because I kept reading even when it made me sick. This is where I truly applaud Fine; a lesser writer would have chosen a safer, less controversial road, especially when writing for young adults, but I could tell that Sarah Fine doesn’t believe in pulling any punches, and I admired her for it.
I’m sorry, guys, I’m very much aware that this review is all over the place. It was hard for me to put into words how much I loved this book. On December 6th, Sarah will share Malachi’s journal entries on several blogs, including The Nocturnal Library, so make sure to stop by. If you haven’t met Malachi yet, you’ll definitely want to after that.
Brava, Ms. Fine! I’m thoroughly impressed.
I have book ADD, I really do. Even when I like a book, by the time I reach the second half, I get impatient, eager to be done with it and be free to discover a new world. It’s a definite downside of having so many books to choose from, and it’s something I need to work on.
Therefore, I was more than a little surprised by the enormity of my despair when I reached the last page of Sanctum. It’s rare that a book leaves me desperate for more. Sarah Fine’s rich and imaginative world, although grim and depressing, captivated me entirely. She almost (but not quite, I’m not crazy) made me want to visit Suicide City and look around for myself. It is where suicide victims end up, condemned to wander the city, lost in their own despair. Can you imagine a more hopeless place in this world or the next? And for the very few conscious enough to want to escape or cause trouble, there are the guards, merciless creatures led by a human, their fearless Captain, Malachi.
Enter Lela, a worthy, if somewhat unconventional heroine. She came to Suicide City willingly, to save he best and only friend, not knowing what she might have to do, but ready for any kind of sacrifice. From the very first page of Sanctum, the readers know they won’t be getting a Mary Sue: she smokes, she curses, and she beats up bullies with terrifying ease. It takes a while for her tender side to be revealed, but she is lovable from the very start.
And Malachi… oooops, there goes my dignity! I haven’t felt so strongly about a fictional character since Sean Kendrick and I doubt I will anytime soon. With his warmth and Lela’s unflinching bravery, it’s no wonder they’re my new favorite couple. Which brings me to the girl I can’t stop thinking about – Lela Santos. Some would say she’s damaged beyond repair, and in some ways, they’d probably be right. But there’s so much love and hope in her, despite not having had an ounce of luck her entire life.
Sanctum is a dark, dark book, and although most of it happens in this hellish, unreal place, the horrors described are very real. Brief glimpses of Lela’s past were more than enough to make me want to run the other way, but I guess I absorbed some of her astonishing bravery because I kept reading even when it made me sick. This is where I truly applaud Fine; a lesser writer would have chosen a safer, less controversial road, especially when writing for young adults, but I could tell that Sarah Fine doesn’t believe in pulling any punches, and I admired her for it.
I’m sorry, guys, I’m very much aware that this review is all over the place. It was hard for me to put into words how much I loved this book. On December 6th, Sarah will share Malachi’s journal entries on several blogs, including The Nocturnal Library, so make sure to stop by. If you haven’t met Malachi yet, you’ll definitely want to after that.
Brava, Ms. Fine! I’m thoroughly impressed.
January 11, 2021
And we’re 3/3 on this 5-star streak!!! ☺️
EVERYONE, I HAVE A NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND, NAMED MALACHI. NOW BACK OFF. HE’S MINE!!! 😤
EVERYONE, I HAVE A NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND, NAMED MALACHI. NOW BACK OFF. HE’S MINE!!! 😤
October 18, 2012
Yay!! This is out now, so I can gush again!!
I could tell you all about how Lela is badass and strong willed and smart, and about how Sarah has written an amazing story of loss and redemption and courage and grief, but I know you're all skimming this paragraph to hear about the boy, right?
So let's talk about Malachi. He's insanely hot. I mean, he's a skilled fighter, a leader-of-sorts of his "people" (I use the term loosely), and he's a total badass, but he's also kind and clever and good. Is he damaged? Of course. But he's not a "bad boy," and he'll steal your heart when you're not looking. I spent most of the book wanting to hug him, but knowing he'd probably drop-kick me on my ass if I tried it.
This is an amazing story, and I've been lucky enough to read a lot of Sarah's work. You don't want to miss this book. Really, you don't.
Honestly, I don't know why you're still reading this review. You should be preordering this book RIGHT NOW.
I could tell you all about how Lela is badass and strong willed and smart, and about how Sarah has written an amazing story of loss and redemption and courage and grief, but I know you're all skimming this paragraph to hear about the boy, right?
So let's talk about Malachi. He's insanely hot. I mean, he's a skilled fighter, a leader-of-sorts of his "people" (I use the term loosely), and he's a total badass, but he's also kind and clever and good. Is he damaged? Of course. But he's not a "bad boy," and he'll steal your heart when you're not looking. I spent most of the book wanting to hug him, but knowing he'd probably drop-kick me on my ass if I tried it.
This is an amazing story, and I've been lucky enough to read a lot of Sarah's work. You don't want to miss this book. Really, you don't.
Honestly, I don't know why you're still reading this review. You should be preordering this book RIGHT NOW.
January 8, 2013
4.5 stars Fantastic debut! Written like an adult urban fantasy, and a must-read for fans of Vampire Academy. There is, ahem, a very Dimitri-Rose dynamic going on with this one.
Had a great ending, am very curious to see what will happen next...
Had a great ending, am very curious to see what will happen next...
October 4, 2012
Sanctum is one of those books where you think you know what you're getting into when you start it, but it manages to surprise you at every turn. You see, I had this craazy idea that Sanctum was a paranormal/fantasy story of sorts about this girl who went into a mysterious land to rescue her best friend; I suppose that, from the surface, that is exactly was this book is. Yet, it's also so much more multi-layered, deep, and provocative than I ever imagined a paranormal/fantasy novel to be. It's a story about death, about loss, about grief, and about depression so acute you don't want to live anymore. It's a story about strength, about forgiveness, about getting back up when you think you can't stand up again. It is, at its very core, a story about holding on, about seeing that light at the end of the tunnel and, of course, about hope.
On her first day of school, the last thing Lela expects is to become best friends with Nadia, the most popular girl around. Yet, that is exactly what happens and Nadia's friendship transforms Lela from a hopeless case who has been to one-too-many-foster-homes to a girl with a future. When Nadia unexpectedly kills herself though, entering the Suicide Gates, a place Lela almost went to a few years back, Lela knows she has to rescue her best friend - it's the least she can do after all that Nadia did for her. Thus, quite by accident, Lela finds herself at the Suicide Gates and at the mercy of its Captain of the Guard, Malachi. While the Suicide Gates are a dangerous place, with Malachi, Lela may just have a chance to find her friend...and fall in love too.
Sanctum is a whirlwind journey of adventure, mystery, and dark pasts. Lela is a narrator who took awhile to grow on me, but before long, I was thoroughly invested in her tale. She's stubborn, strong-willed, and has had an extremely painful past, but through it all, she keeps persevering, thus becoming one of the most admirable characters I've come across in literature. Furthermore, the sheer force of her friendship and her conviction that she can rescue her friend is utterly heart-warming, making you wish you had someone like Lela at your back too. Yet, despite all her incredible traits, Lela is a three-dimensional character chock-full of flaws as well and her journey to live past her prior torture and grow into a more trusting individual was remarkably well-written. While her past has shaped who she is in the present, the eventual person she becomes by the end of this story is so different and truly an inspirational figure for those who have suffered at the hands of tormentors or even those who have ever contemplated suicide themselves, like Lela once did.
In all honesty, Sanctum is a very dark tale. It's set in a world where those who have taken their lives are set to roam in the land within the Suicide Gates until they are ready to go before the Judge and enter the Countryside, or Heaven. While Fine's alternate take on the Heaven/Hell scheme is unique and well-built (although I do have to admit that the world-building took a liiiitle while to kick-off), it never becomes preachy or even mentions God at all. In reality, the world she has created is simply a character of its own which emphasizes the devastating repercussions of suicide and that, contrary to popular belief, suicide is not an escape. I was quite surprised by some of the darker turns this novel took, but ultimately, I am in awe of them. Fine explores the horror of this situation both from the side of the person left behind, helpless and lost about what to do, and the person who committed the act themselves. It's a delicate balance she strikes and this can only be seen during the last few chapters of this novel, but I'm glad it was present and I'm also glad it was only there for a short duration of time - it was long enough to make an impact, but not long enough to turn this tale into a dark and brooding story.
I must apologize - I've made you all terrified to pick this up because now you all think it's a gritty story, yes? Well, it isn't. While Sanctum explores some very dark themes for sure and Fine allows us to understand suicide like never before, the dialogue in this novel is sharp and witty, the character relationships and vivid and lively, and Lela's voice is simply so much fun to read. In addition, if you needed more persuasion to pick up this novel, the romance is simply to die for. Malachi is a tortured soul himself, although of a completely different degree than Lela, but instead of this making him an irritatingly stereotypical bad-boy, Malachi is utterly decent, sweet, and one of the kindest people you will meet. Yes, he's deadly with his weapons and can probably kill you before you blink, but only if you get on his bad side. Although I do think that Malachi and Lela's romance moved a little quickly, I still found the pace to be perfect considering their situations. Furthermore, I love that Malachi and Lela, despite being attracted to each other physically, were in love only with who the other person was inside. It was a beautifully written romance that truly struck a cord within me and while I know other readers will find things to pick at, I loved it.
Sanctum truly is one of the most unexpected debuts I've read this year. I hadn't heard of it until very recently and although my expectations for this novel were turned upside down, it was in the best possible way imaginable. I love the world Fine has created, the manner in which it serves as an analogy to the themes in this novel, and the characters in this tale were phenomenal. It wasn't one of those it-blew-me-away stories - I doubt anything could be considering I read The Lost Girl and The Scorpio Races recently - but it was a novel I was thoroughly invested in and came away loving. Would I recommend Sanctum? Hell, yeah! (No pun intended, of course!) ;)
An enormous thank you to Amazon Children's Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
On her first day of school, the last thing Lela expects is to become best friends with Nadia, the most popular girl around. Yet, that is exactly what happens and Nadia's friendship transforms Lela from a hopeless case who has been to one-too-many-foster-homes to a girl with a future. When Nadia unexpectedly kills herself though, entering the Suicide Gates, a place Lela almost went to a few years back, Lela knows she has to rescue her best friend - it's the least she can do after all that Nadia did for her. Thus, quite by accident, Lela finds herself at the Suicide Gates and at the mercy of its Captain of the Guard, Malachi. While the Suicide Gates are a dangerous place, with Malachi, Lela may just have a chance to find her friend...and fall in love too.
Sanctum is a whirlwind journey of adventure, mystery, and dark pasts. Lela is a narrator who took awhile to grow on me, but before long, I was thoroughly invested in her tale. She's stubborn, strong-willed, and has had an extremely painful past, but through it all, she keeps persevering, thus becoming one of the most admirable characters I've come across in literature. Furthermore, the sheer force of her friendship and her conviction that she can rescue her friend is utterly heart-warming, making you wish you had someone like Lela at your back too. Yet, despite all her incredible traits, Lela is a three-dimensional character chock-full of flaws as well and her journey to live past her prior torture and grow into a more trusting individual was remarkably well-written. While her past has shaped who she is in the present, the eventual person she becomes by the end of this story is so different and truly an inspirational figure for those who have suffered at the hands of tormentors or even those who have ever contemplated suicide themselves, like Lela once did.
In all honesty, Sanctum is a very dark tale. It's set in a world where those who have taken their lives are set to roam in the land within the Suicide Gates until they are ready to go before the Judge and enter the Countryside, or Heaven. While Fine's alternate take on the Heaven/Hell scheme is unique and well-built (although I do have to admit that the world-building took a liiiitle while to kick-off), it never becomes preachy or even mentions God at all. In reality, the world she has created is simply a character of its own which emphasizes the devastating repercussions of suicide and that, contrary to popular belief, suicide is not an escape. I was quite surprised by some of the darker turns this novel took, but ultimately, I am in awe of them. Fine explores the horror of this situation both from the side of the person left behind, helpless and lost about what to do, and the person who committed the act themselves. It's a delicate balance she strikes and this can only be seen during the last few chapters of this novel, but I'm glad it was present and I'm also glad it was only there for a short duration of time - it was long enough to make an impact, but not long enough to turn this tale into a dark and brooding story.
I must apologize - I've made you all terrified to pick this up because now you all think it's a gritty story, yes? Well, it isn't. While Sanctum explores some very dark themes for sure and Fine allows us to understand suicide like never before, the dialogue in this novel is sharp and witty, the character relationships and vivid and lively, and Lela's voice is simply so much fun to read. In addition, if you needed more persuasion to pick up this novel, the romance is simply to die for. Malachi is a tortured soul himself, although of a completely different degree than Lela, but instead of this making him an irritatingly stereotypical bad-boy, Malachi is utterly decent, sweet, and one of the kindest people you will meet. Yes, he's deadly with his weapons and can probably kill you before you blink, but only if you get on his bad side. Although I do think that Malachi and Lela's romance moved a little quickly, I still found the pace to be perfect considering their situations. Furthermore, I love that Malachi and Lela, despite being attracted to each other physically, were in love only with who the other person was inside. It was a beautifully written romance that truly struck a cord within me and while I know other readers will find things to pick at, I loved it.
Sanctum truly is one of the most unexpected debuts I've read this year. I hadn't heard of it until very recently and although my expectations for this novel were turned upside down, it was in the best possible way imaginable. I love the world Fine has created, the manner in which it serves as an analogy to the themes in this novel, and the characters in this tale were phenomenal. It wasn't one of those it-blew-me-away stories - I doubt anything could be considering I read The Lost Girl and The Scorpio Races recently - but it was a novel I was thoroughly invested in and came away loving. Would I recommend Sanctum? Hell, yeah! (No pun intended, of course!) ;)
An enormous thank you to Amazon Children's Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
October 16, 2012
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
I love the feeling of going into a novel, not knowing what to expect, and realizing right away that I'm going to like it. And that as I get further in the story keeps getting better and better, and that once I'm done I just want more people to know about the book and to read it too! Sanctum was that type of read for me. The characters were multilayered and extremely likeable, the world was fascinating, and the story made it hard to stop reading. I can easily say that it is one of my top five favorite books this year! I'm so excited to read the next book in this series.
"Welcome to Suicide Gates!"
Those words and the frightening, otherworldly city where she first heard them have haunted Lela ever since she tried to end her life two years ago. Lela knows that place is where she could have ended up if she had died, but she doesn't realize how true that is until her best friend Nadia commits suicide. Lela starts having nightmares, visions, about Suicide Gates through her friend's eyes, and she becomes determined to save Nadia from that dark place even if she has to sacrifice herself in the process. The journey is nowhere near easy though. Suicide Gates is a harsh and bleak world. Everyone who ends up there must work hard to come to terms with what happened to them and to find strength within themselves so that they can finally move on. And not everyone is able to do that.
Lela's feelings towards Nadia were powerful and the driving force behind most of her decisions in Sanctum. She did everything she could to save Nadia, even if she later regretted the choices she made. This is one of the few books where I truly felt the strong bond a character has with a friend. I remember thinking that I wanted Lela to succeed, I wanted Nadia to be saved, and I wanted happiness for them both. It really was heartbreaking, and it made me just admire and adore Lela even more. She felt so real to me. She's been through so much in her life, yet she stays strong and focused for the friend who believed in her and made her a better person.
Not only is Sanctum about friendship and sacrifice, it's about love and overcoming gripping fears bit by bit. After Lela arrives at Suicide Gates, she's captured by the Guards of the city. They know she's different from the humans who are suppose to be there, and she's interrogated by their brave and intimidating Captain, Malachi. Lela and Malachi don't trust each other at first, but once they open up, Lela begins to feel safe around Malachi and he begins to feel protective of her. There's a gut-wrenching reason why Lela wanted to die two years ago, and when Malachi finds out he helps her overcome some of her fears of allowing anyone, especially a man, to touch her. He's so respectful and let's her be in control. I absolutely loved their relationship. It was sweet and beautiful and touching. They are amazing people and brought out every single bit of goodness in each other. They are also kickass and helped each other survive along the way to finding Nadia. They're the main reason why I cannot wait to read the next book.
Sanctum brings up many heavy, emotional subjects and there are plenty of terrifying moments, but it still manages to be filled with hope and love. And when a story is awesome and has wonderful characters and relationships, it makes me really happy. The ending freaked me out so much though. (I was scared and praying it wouldn't end at a cliffhanger!) It also made me pumped for book two. I wish I could talk more about the unique world in Sanctum, but it's complex and something you need to discover and experience yourself. I highly recommend Sanctum, especially to those looking for a dark, yet hopeful read. It's easily one of the best YA urban fantasy novels I've ever read!
May 2, 2015
Okay, to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed right now.
Why, you ask? Because I haven't been squealing like a schoolgirl over a YA guy in a long, long time. And Malachi simply won my heart. I was swooning all over him left, right and center.
If you knew me at all, you'd know that it's really difficult for me to be swayed by guys of YA, cause they're usually the average perfect-looking bad boys who are complete and utter jerks that constantly love to tease and toy with the MC's feelings and whatnot, until they swoop in at the end being all "I love you" and stuff. I am HIGHLY critical of YA heroes, and have no tolerance for their cliched bullshit.
But Malachi... Okay, is he perfect-looking? Yeah. But he is SO NICE, you guys. Like, holy fuck. The whole entire book, it was impossible for me to not love him. He was so sweet. He showed vulnerability. He truly cared for the MC and wasn't being all fake about it. He was just everything. One character in the book even says so herself, "He's incredibly sweet for being so hot. Usually the hot ones are jerks." And I can't help but agree with her if I'm thinking of YA's standards.
I know most young girls who read YA or NA or even adult books prefer those types of guys, and that their bad attitude somehow only amplifies their hotness. I personally will never understand that and will forever be puzzled by it. Because for me, the guys who really get me are the ones who have beautiful hearts as well as beautiful...everything else.
Yeah, I guess you could argue that there was some kinda insta-love in the book, or perhaps the main character became swayed with Malachi too quickly. But honestly, their feelings for each other felt genuine to me, and I'm not sure if it's insta-love or not since I don't really know what the time span was in this book. And for the MC to swoon over Malachi so quickly, I really can't blame her, guys. xD I was right there with her, tbh.
Okay, I've rambled on about Malachi for too long. Was there anything else I loved about this book? Well of course there was! Look at the 5 star rating! I loved the characters, I loved the concept, and I am so excited to see the world of this book further fleshed out. Which is why I'm starting on the second one ASAP.
Sorry I spent most of this review being a hot mess over Malachi, but....god, he is just PERFECT!
Okay, I'm done embarrassing myself, I swear. Just read the damn book already, you guys. Seriously. Tons of fun.
Why, you ask? Because I haven't been squealing like a schoolgirl over a YA guy in a long, long time. And Malachi simply won my heart. I was swooning all over him left, right and center.
If you knew me at all, you'd know that it's really difficult for me to be swayed by guys of YA, cause they're usually the average perfect-looking bad boys who are complete and utter jerks that constantly love to tease and toy with the MC's feelings and whatnot, until they swoop in at the end being all "I love you" and stuff. I am HIGHLY critical of YA heroes, and have no tolerance for their cliched bullshit.
But Malachi... Okay, is he perfect-looking? Yeah. But he is SO NICE, you guys. Like, holy fuck. The whole entire book, it was impossible for me to not love him. He was so sweet. He showed vulnerability. He truly cared for the MC and wasn't being all fake about it. He was just everything. One character in the book even says so herself, "He's incredibly sweet for being so hot. Usually the hot ones are jerks." And I can't help but agree with her if I'm thinking of YA's standards.
I know most young girls who read YA or NA or even adult books prefer those types of guys, and that their bad attitude somehow only amplifies their hotness. I personally will never understand that and will forever be puzzled by it. Because for me, the guys who really get me are the ones who have beautiful hearts as well as beautiful...everything else.
Yeah, I guess you could argue that there was some kinda insta-love in the book, or perhaps the main character became swayed with Malachi too quickly. But honestly, their feelings for each other felt genuine to me, and I'm not sure if it's insta-love or not since I don't really know what the time span was in this book. And for the MC to swoon over Malachi so quickly, I really can't blame her, guys. xD I was right there with her, tbh.
Okay, I've rambled on about Malachi for too long. Was there anything else I loved about this book? Well of course there was! Look at the 5 star rating! I loved the characters, I loved the concept, and I am so excited to see the world of this book further fleshed out. Which is why I'm starting on the second one ASAP.
Sorry I spent most of this review being a hot mess over Malachi, but....god, he is just PERFECT!
Okay, I'm done embarrassing myself, I swear. Just read the damn book already, you guys. Seriously. Tons of fun.
August 30, 2012
4.5 Stars
I loved this story!
Seventeen year-old Lela has a promising future which is surprising considering her past. She went from foster home to foster home, ending up incarcerated in the juvenile system of Rhode Island. Finally she is set free to her first caring foster parent, Diane, and starts high school again. While trying to keep her nose clean and fit in as the new girl, she comes upon a disagreement between one of the popular pretty girls and a junkie on the playground. When Lela realizes that this popular girl is about to be assaulted, she steps in and defends her, making a friend in the process. Nadia the popular girl takes Lela under her wing, and Nadia’s acceptance and friendship encourage Lela to go for a life and future she never thought possible. She and Nadia are accepted into college, and so Lela is hopeful for the first time in her life.
Unfortunately, Nadia hasn’t been truthful about her mental state and has been miserable for a long time. In her despair does something rash and takes her life, thinking this is her way out from all her pain. Lela knows this to be exactly the opposite. You see, a couple of years ago, Lela was just as desperate and tried to take her own life, but what waited on the other side was nothing close to relief. She passed through the suicide gates for a short time before she was revived and now experiences terrifying nightmares of her brief time there. Knowing this is what her friend Nadia will face, Lela is determined to go after her and help her get free. Nadia helped Lela find a life and hope that she never thought could be possible, so she’s not about to fail her again by letting her stay in that terrifying realm. When Lela arrives there though, her efforts are thwarted by a deadly but beautiful Guard, Malachi.
Lela was a character molded by tragic events yet she wasn’t a bitter person. I easily connected with her right away, loving her loyalty and determination to help her beloved friend. She was a tough cookie but an endearing character. Plus, you got to love a girl who loves Buffy! It’s a rule!! When Malachi shows up in her life, a need she never knew existed was filled. Here’s a swoony quote for you:
That simple moment, touching him, feeling him breathe, his hand stroking my hair—it was all I could have hoped for, all I could have wanted. I was filled up with it, this warm, buzzing feeling in my chest, and it was completely satisfying. I wondered if it might be what I needed after all.
Malachi, oh my heart, Malachi! Boy is he fierce and protective, yet he has his own sad story that hurts your heart when it’s revealed. I totally swooned over him the entire book *sigh* and I now must add him to my ever growing list of book boyfriends!
This was a fresh and original story and I thought the author did a wonderful job creating a realistic world and paranormal world, intertwined together. The pace of this story was a little slow in the beginning but it picked right up and then I was turning the pages quickly to find out what was going to happen next. Sanctum leaves us with a satisfying conclusion but also changes everything! I can’t wait for the next installment.
I want to thank my book-angel, the lovely Alexa over at Collections, for lending me her precious copy!
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
I loved this story!
Seventeen year-old Lela has a promising future which is surprising considering her past. She went from foster home to foster home, ending up incarcerated in the juvenile system of Rhode Island. Finally she is set free to her first caring foster parent, Diane, and starts high school again. While trying to keep her nose clean and fit in as the new girl, she comes upon a disagreement between one of the popular pretty girls and a junkie on the playground. When Lela realizes that this popular girl is about to be assaulted, she steps in and defends her, making a friend in the process. Nadia the popular girl takes Lela under her wing, and Nadia’s acceptance and friendship encourage Lela to go for a life and future she never thought possible. She and Nadia are accepted into college, and so Lela is hopeful for the first time in her life.
Unfortunately, Nadia hasn’t been truthful about her mental state and has been miserable for a long time. In her despair does something rash and takes her life, thinking this is her way out from all her pain. Lela knows this to be exactly the opposite. You see, a couple of years ago, Lela was just as desperate and tried to take her own life, but what waited on the other side was nothing close to relief. She passed through the suicide gates for a short time before she was revived and now experiences terrifying nightmares of her brief time there. Knowing this is what her friend Nadia will face, Lela is determined to go after her and help her get free. Nadia helped Lela find a life and hope that she never thought could be possible, so she’s not about to fail her again by letting her stay in that terrifying realm. When Lela arrives there though, her efforts are thwarted by a deadly but beautiful Guard, Malachi.
Lela was a character molded by tragic events yet she wasn’t a bitter person. I easily connected with her right away, loving her loyalty and determination to help her beloved friend. She was a tough cookie but an endearing character. Plus, you got to love a girl who loves Buffy! It’s a rule!! When Malachi shows up in her life, a need she never knew existed was filled. Here’s a swoony quote for you:
That simple moment, touching him, feeling him breathe, his hand stroking my hair—it was all I could have hoped for, all I could have wanted. I was filled up with it, this warm, buzzing feeling in my chest, and it was completely satisfying. I wondered if it might be what I needed after all.
Malachi, oh my heart, Malachi! Boy is he fierce and protective, yet he has his own sad story that hurts your heart when it’s revealed. I totally swooned over him the entire book *sigh* and I now must add him to my ever growing list of book boyfriends!
This was a fresh and original story and I thought the author did a wonderful job creating a realistic world and paranormal world, intertwined together. The pace of this story was a little slow in the beginning but it picked right up and then I was turning the pages quickly to find out what was going to happen next. Sanctum leaves us with a satisfying conclusion but also changes everything! I can’t wait for the next installment.
I want to thank my book-angel, the lovely Alexa over at Collections, for lending me her precious copy!
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
October 3, 2012
The gift was helping me understand my friend and forgive her for leaving me.
Sanctum by Sarah Fine is one of those unique book experiences that blends both despair and hope in equal measure to deliver a hauntingly beautiful journey.
I was left floored with a gamut of emotions that I will now try to sort out in the best way possible. But first, let me state a clear and undeniable fact – Fine has an amazing writing ability. And, it’s not only because of how easily she continued to hook me into her novel as I traveled deeper and deeper into the dark city she created; but also because I came to care about the two main characters to such a profound level that when I turned to the final pages I felt slightly empty and sad to see them go… for now.
In Sanctum, we meet Lela who is a foster kid that’s had to endure a difficult life. When the novel begins, she meets Nadia and immediately comes to her aid when Nadia places herself in a precarious situation. From that moment, these two girls form a bond of friendship that shifts Lela’s outlook on life and has her building a better future for herself. However, all of that comes crashing to a halt when Nadia takes her life, leaving Lela confused and lost. As Lela deals with her grief of losing her best friend, she’s plagued with vivid nightmares of a dark and sinister place that is the Sanctum for souls who’ve ended their own live. After a horrific accident, Lela finds herself at a crossroads, she can either lead her soul to the Countryside or enter the Gates of the Sanctum in the hopes of finding Nadia and rescuing her from this city of despair.
Lela is such a strong and determined character in so many ways. Throughout the novel we get glimpses of the horrors she’s had to endure as a foster child and the violations she experienced at the hands of those who were suppose to protect her. It was heartbreaking to witness that the first time she finds a champion, a true friend, this person happens to be so broken inside that Lela loses her to the despair Nadia is suffering through. From the beginning of the novel to the very end, I was an adamant fan of this character. I rallied behind her as she fought her demons and sacrificed her existence for what she believed it. Loved this character!
Nadia was somewhat ambiguous to me. I didn’t get to know her enough before she ended her life and as the novel progressed, I felt like I was on that same journey with Lela to discover the reasons behind Nadia’s choice. In the end, when we discover the why, I have to admit that I was truly saddened for this character.
Malachi was such a complex character in the most rewarding of ways. I fell hard for him and admired the sacrifices he made while paying his dues in the Sanctum. He serves as the Captain of the Guard, but truly he’s more than the leader allotted by his title. He’s a guy that has a haunting past and is working toward a rewarding afterlife. However, he’s ever willing to forego his reward if it’s at the expense of someone he’s come to care about. There were so many layers to his character and having just pealed back a few, I’m left wanting to learn even more about him as his journey continues.
As far as the writing goes, I stand behind my earlier statement… Fine is amazing at crafting her setting in such intricate detail as she weaves her events that take the reader from a contemporary feel to a dark fantasy realm. I transitioned quite easily throughout her narrative and as the story progressed, I became more and more captivated and hooked. Everything blended to perfection – the plot, the characters, the narrative, the message behind the novel… Very well done and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
Sanctum by Sarah Fine is one of those unique book experiences that blends both despair and hope in equal measure to deliver a hauntingly beautiful journey.
I was left floored with a gamut of emotions that I will now try to sort out in the best way possible. But first, let me state a clear and undeniable fact – Fine has an amazing writing ability. And, it’s not only because of how easily she continued to hook me into her novel as I traveled deeper and deeper into the dark city she created; but also because I came to care about the two main characters to such a profound level that when I turned to the final pages I felt slightly empty and sad to see them go… for now.
In Sanctum, we meet Lela who is a foster kid that’s had to endure a difficult life. When the novel begins, she meets Nadia and immediately comes to her aid when Nadia places herself in a precarious situation. From that moment, these two girls form a bond of friendship that shifts Lela’s outlook on life and has her building a better future for herself. However, all of that comes crashing to a halt when Nadia takes her life, leaving Lela confused and lost. As Lela deals with her grief of losing her best friend, she’s plagued with vivid nightmares of a dark and sinister place that is the Sanctum for souls who’ve ended their own live. After a horrific accident, Lela finds herself at a crossroads, she can either lead her soul to the Countryside or enter the Gates of the Sanctum in the hopes of finding Nadia and rescuing her from this city of despair.
Lela is such a strong and determined character in so many ways. Throughout the novel we get glimpses of the horrors she’s had to endure as a foster child and the violations she experienced at the hands of those who were suppose to protect her. It was heartbreaking to witness that the first time she finds a champion, a true friend, this person happens to be so broken inside that Lela loses her to the despair Nadia is suffering through. From the beginning of the novel to the very end, I was an adamant fan of this character. I rallied behind her as she fought her demons and sacrificed her existence for what she believed it. Loved this character!
Nadia was somewhat ambiguous to me. I didn’t get to know her enough before she ended her life and as the novel progressed, I felt like I was on that same journey with Lela to discover the reasons behind Nadia’s choice. In the end, when we discover the why, I have to admit that I was truly saddened for this character.
Malachi was such a complex character in the most rewarding of ways. I fell hard for him and admired the sacrifices he made while paying his dues in the Sanctum. He serves as the Captain of the Guard, but truly he’s more than the leader allotted by his title. He’s a guy that has a haunting past and is working toward a rewarding afterlife. However, he’s ever willing to forego his reward if it’s at the expense of someone he’s come to care about. There were so many layers to his character and having just pealed back a few, I’m left wanting to learn even more about him as his journey continues.
As far as the writing goes, I stand behind my earlier statement… Fine is amazing at crafting her setting in such intricate detail as she weaves her events that take the reader from a contemporary feel to a dark fantasy realm. I transitioned quite easily throughout her narrative and as the story progressed, I became more and more captivated and hooked. Everything blended to perfection – the plot, the characters, the narrative, the message behind the novel… Very well done and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
July 18, 2024
Loved it!
This book got me hooked from the first few chapters an did not disapoint in any area all the way till the end.very well written WONDERFUL world building.
Just read this book again, why aren't more people talking about THIS SERIES
COMPLETELY UNDERRATE
and totally Addictive.
Happy Reading 📙📚📗📒📘📓📚📙📕📗📘📔📒📓📚📙📕📗📓📚📔📗📓📙📕📓📒📘📔📖
This book got me hooked from the first few chapters an did not disapoint in any area all the way till the end.very well written WONDERFUL world building.
Just read this book again, why aren't more people talking about THIS SERIES
COMPLETELY UNDERRATE
and totally Addictive.
Happy Reading 📙📚📗📒📘📓📚📙📕📗📘📔📒📓📚📙📕📗📓📚📔📗📓📙📕📓📒📘📔📖
July 19, 2015
5 FREAKING, AMAZING, STARS
That was the most amazing book that I have read in a very, very, long time. Well, maybe not that long, but I LOVED it nevertheless!!
I mean when I say I loved this book, I mean freaking I L.O.V.E.D this book sooooo freaking much!!! I just can't describe my feelings as I'm shaking while writing this now!! I already started listening to book 2 on audio. I just couldn't wait any longer!!
I just need a minute to take in the books awesomeness, and have a ....
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-----EDITED REVIEW BELOW-----
5 EPIC Stars
Set in a dark terrifying world, SANCTUM brings originality and adventure, romance and friendship, like I've never experienced! SANCTUM was so addicting, yet so terrifying, and SOOO much fun to read!! I did NOT want to put SANCTUM down to save my life. It was just that good!
There was honestly not a thing that I did not like about SANCTUM! Seriously, it was so awesome, for so many different reasons. Every chapter had me more engrossed, wanting to know more about the scary-amazing world that captured my heart. I felt hard for these characters and their struggles and experiences, and really wanted them to succeed. I think SANCTUM is a book that EVERYONE should read and experience, no matter your preferred genre.
THE PLOT
Lela's been though it all. And she's as tough as nails and doesn't take any crap from anyone because of it. But there's a good reason why she is the way she is, and she's about to be tested just how far she'll go to save the ones she loves...
Lela has been in and out of different foster homes for as long as she can remember, and they haven't been the most pleasant experiences either. But when Lela finally settles down in her last foster home, everything seems to be on the up in up when she meets Nadia, a girl who seems to like her for her. Which is unusual Lela thinks, but she gives in to this relationship that she's never experienced, and slowly a beautiful friendship blooms, and Lela has finally found something worth living for. But then drastically, Nadia starts experiencing extreme depression and turns to drugs to cope with her feelings. And eventually life becomes to much for Nadia and she commits suicide. And then Lela's world is shattered, everything she found worth living for is gone, and she is left utterly alone, and more helpless then ever. Until Lela starts having terrifying recurring dreams of a hellish City that souls go to when they die, and when she see's who's ended up in this hellish world, her world collapses...
When Lela was with one of her worst foster parents, life became to much and she tried to commit suicide. But Lela was pulled back at the last second by her vile foster father, and was able to be revived. But when she was under, somewhere in between the living and the dead, Lela ended up at the gates of the Suicide City, and was just about to be ushered in when she was pulled back to living. And ever since that day, she's had recurring vision and dreams of being there in the Suicide City and watching all the terrifying events unfold, and that's exactly where she see's Nadia after she killed herself, and Lela can't help but to believe it's all really real. But when Lela accidentally falls off a cliff to her death, she realizes just how real it really is...
Now Lela has a choice; spend her afterlife relishing in the heaven-like country where she belongs. Or she can go inside the hellish Suicide Gates and search for her suffering friend. The answer comes easily to Lela, and she plots her way into the Suicide City Gates, determined to find her friend, save her from herself, evade the Mazikin that's hunting them, and get them both out of the City of hell that they've found themselves in.
But when Lela crosses paths with the dangerous and equally deadly, Captain of the guard, Malachi, her world changes forever... Malachi's tough, deadly, determined, and willing to do whatever it takes to stop the Mazikin from killing and claiming the bodies of the souls in the Suicide City. Malachi is set on ridding his dark city of Mazikin, and he just so happens to think Lela is working for them, and he's determined to get the truth from her, one way or another. But soon Malachi realizes that Lela is not working for the enemy, and they both start to developed feelings that neither one of them has ever experienced before. And before they know what they've gotten themselves into, their caught in a spiraling downfall of electrifying feelings, terrifying creatures, deadly atmospheres, and tortured souls, But if they have any chance of making it out alive, they will have to bound together and build a trust that neither one of them is good at giving.
I loved this book so soooo much!! UGH, I just can't put my feelings into words and express my love for this book properly!!! It is truly one of the most original books that I have personally read in a very, very, long time, and I loved that so much!!
I listened to most of SANCTUM on audio, but also went back and forth on my eBook and paperback. But I loved the narration so much that I preferred the audiobook over actually reading the book. The narrator Amy McFadden was one of the best narrators that I've came across in a while. She preformed Malach, the male love interested with such beauty, and with an enticing accent that always made me want to curl my toes in desire!! Sarah Fine is an AMAZING story teller, and knows how to write a burning romance that makes you want to jump through the pages and endure all the pain and suffering that the characters are going through just to get a chapter in that sizzling romance!!!
Overall, SANCTUM was a fast-paced, action-packed, terrifying adventure that I will read again and again for sooooo many years to come! The world building was original and truly addicting, the characters were believable and well developed, the ending ROCKED, and the friendship was truly beautiful. SANCTUM is a book that I think everyone should read!!! It's just that amazing, absolutely, breathtakingly wonderful!!! And I am so eager to get back in this series, but hesitant, because I don't ever want it to end!!!
That was the most amazing book that I have read in a very, very, long time. Well, maybe not that long, but I LOVED it nevertheless!!
I mean when I say I loved this book, I mean freaking I L.O.V.E.D this book sooooo freaking much!!! I just can't describe my feelings as I'm shaking while writing this now!! I already started listening to book 2 on audio. I just couldn't wait any longer!!
I just need a minute to take in the books awesomeness, and have a ....
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|
|
|
|
V
-----EDITED REVIEW BELOW-----
5 EPIC Stars
Set in a dark terrifying world, SANCTUM brings originality and adventure, romance and friendship, like I've never experienced! SANCTUM was so addicting, yet so terrifying, and SOOO much fun to read!! I did NOT want to put SANCTUM down to save my life. It was just that good!
There was honestly not a thing that I did not like about SANCTUM! Seriously, it was so awesome, for so many different reasons. Every chapter had me more engrossed, wanting to know more about the scary-amazing world that captured my heart. I felt hard for these characters and their struggles and experiences, and really wanted them to succeed. I think SANCTUM is a book that EVERYONE should read and experience, no matter your preferred genre.
THE PLOT
Lela's been though it all. And she's as tough as nails and doesn't take any crap from anyone because of it. But there's a good reason why she is the way she is, and she's about to be tested just how far she'll go to save the ones she loves...
Lela has been in and out of different foster homes for as long as she can remember, and they haven't been the most pleasant experiences either. But when Lela finally settles down in her last foster home, everything seems to be on the up in up when she meets Nadia, a girl who seems to like her for her. Which is unusual Lela thinks, but she gives in to this relationship that she's never experienced, and slowly a beautiful friendship blooms, and Lela has finally found something worth living for. But then drastically, Nadia starts experiencing extreme depression and turns to drugs to cope with her feelings. And eventually life becomes to much for Nadia and she commits suicide. And then Lela's world is shattered, everything she found worth living for is gone, and she is left utterly alone, and more helpless then ever. Until Lela starts having terrifying recurring dreams of a hellish City that souls go to when they die, and when she see's who's ended up in this hellish world, her world collapses...
When Lela was with one of her worst foster parents, life became to much and she tried to commit suicide. But Lela was pulled back at the last second by her vile foster father, and was able to be revived. But when she was under, somewhere in between the living and the dead, Lela ended up at the gates of the Suicide City, and was just about to be ushered in when she was pulled back to living. And ever since that day, she's had recurring vision and dreams of being there in the Suicide City and watching all the terrifying events unfold, and that's exactly where she see's Nadia after she killed herself, and Lela can't help but to believe it's all really real. But when Lela accidentally falls off a cliff to her death, she realizes just how real it really is...
Now Lela has a choice; spend her afterlife relishing in the heaven-like country where she belongs. Or she can go inside the hellish Suicide Gates and search for her suffering friend. The answer comes easily to Lela, and she plots her way into the Suicide City Gates, determined to find her friend, save her from herself, evade the Mazikin that's hunting them, and get them both out of the City of hell that they've found themselves in.
But when Lela crosses paths with the dangerous and equally deadly, Captain of the guard, Malachi, her world changes forever... Malachi's tough, deadly, determined, and willing to do whatever it takes to stop the Mazikin from killing and claiming the bodies of the souls in the Suicide City. Malachi is set on ridding his dark city of Mazikin, and he just so happens to think Lela is working for them, and he's determined to get the truth from her, one way or another. But soon Malachi realizes that Lela is not working for the enemy, and they both start to developed feelings that neither one of them has ever experienced before. And before they know what they've gotten themselves into, their caught in a spiraling downfall of electrifying feelings, terrifying creatures, deadly atmospheres, and tortured souls, But if they have any chance of making it out alive, they will have to bound together and build a trust that neither one of them is good at giving.
I loved this book so soooo much!! UGH, I just can't put my feelings into words and express my love for this book properly!!! It is truly one of the most original books that I have personally read in a very, very, long time, and I loved that so much!!
I listened to most of SANCTUM on audio, but also went back and forth on my eBook and paperback. But I loved the narration so much that I preferred the audiobook over actually reading the book. The narrator Amy McFadden was one of the best narrators that I've came across in a while. She preformed Malach, the male love interested with such beauty, and with an enticing accent that always made me want to curl my toes in desire!! Sarah Fine is an AMAZING story teller, and knows how to write a burning romance that makes you want to jump through the pages and endure all the pain and suffering that the characters are going through just to get a chapter in that sizzling romance!!!
Overall, SANCTUM was a fast-paced, action-packed, terrifying adventure that I will read again and again for sooooo many years to come! The world building was original and truly addicting, the characters were believable and well developed, the ending ROCKED, and the friendship was truly beautiful. SANCTUM is a book that I think everyone should read!!! It's just that amazing, absolutely, breathtakingly wonderful!!! And I am so eager to get back in this series, but hesitant, because I don't ever want it to end!!!
November 13, 2012
I really wanted to like this book. The idea of a female friendship so strong that a girl would forge a path through hell (or something very similar to it) to save a friend is story that needs telling as often as possible. But, as too often happens, angsty teen-romance ends up taking over the narrative and shoves aside anything that could have been meaningful in this story and reinforces the basically sexist assumption that anything can be fixed if a girl can only find the right boy.
"Sanctum" is a book that attempts to deal with some dark themes. Both rape and suicide figure heavily into the narrative and Fine tries to deal with the subjects as sensitively as possible. Lela starts off as a very sympathetic character as she has overcome a lot in her short life. Shuffled from one foster home to another, she has suffered the worst kinds of abuse from the people who should have been protecting her. Lela almost succeeds in killing herself after being repeatedly assaulted by foster parent but is able to overcome her past with the help of the unexpected friendship of Nadia.
Nadia is the golden-girl as far as the outside world is concerned. She's beautiful, popular and grows up with the kind of affluence most kids can only dream of. But she and Lela are kindred spirits thanks to dysfunctional homes and their unlikely friendship, while baffling to the outside world, makes sense to the two girls. Lela feels an uncommon loyalty to Nadia because she goes against the in-crowd pressure to only maintain friendships within her own clique and pushes Lela to hope for more in life than just getting-by.
But Nadia, like many other teens, gets bogged down in despair and after finding that numbing herself with drugs doesn't work, she takes her own life. Lela doesn't intentionally follow Nadia into the afterworld, but after a fatal accident sends her to the afterlife she recognizes the Suicide Gates from her own suicide attempt and, instead of drifting into the quiet ease of an undefined paradise, she runs into the dreary Shadowlands in hopes of saving Nadia.
If "Sanctum" has stayed with the story described in the synopsis, it could have been a great book. But after the initial set-up, one that happens to be pretty good, Fine drops the ball and moves on to a very Twilight-ish romance that undermines everything I had liked about the book up to that point. My main issue with "Sanctum" comes from the fact that Lela is so traumatized by her rape that she can't stand to have anyone touch her- until she meets Malachi.
Malachi, the love interest, fits the mold of the teenage dream: the good looking bad-ass who happens to be oh-so sensitive to the needs of a damaged young woman. Malachi is also, despite looking like a teenager, much older than Lela. The love story doesn't quite follow the mold of the Edward-Bella dynamic but I was very much bothered by the fact Lela's problems could be essentially cured by the insta-love storyline. Lela flashes back to her rape often. Every time she is touched by anyone, including Nadia, she freezes up in panic. I can appreciate these moments because they have the ring of authenticity to them, even though I do think they could be triggering to any rape victim that reads the book. So it's problematic that her aversion to touch could be overcome shortly after meeting Malachi (at least when he touches her) even when she cannot tolerate a hug from a friend she'd literally go to hell for. Much is made of Malachi's sensitivity to Lela's fear of being touched, but the fact that Lela's trauma is mostly overcome by her desire for Malachi does not do justice to the emotional journey of a rape victim in my opinion.
"Sanctum" isn't just about the grim topics of rape and suicide; Fine also tries to tackle the nature of the afterlife. I've read a number of books that have tried to address the notion of where a soul goes after a person commits suicide and Fine's version, while not totally unique, has its own flair. Instead of demons her afterlife is populated by creatures known as "Mazikin" (demons by another name really) and her purgatory (the "Shadowlands" in this case) has an interesting mix of hope and despair. In some respects I liked this part of the story because it had something to say about setting aside superficial concerns and focusing on the things that really matter. But much of the story is told in an info-dump fashion and the clunkiness of the writing tends to detract from the overall flow.
Another thing that never really makes sense is how Malachi came to be the captain of the Shadowland Guards. He's human, they're not, and the how and why he came to lead them or why they don't like him isn't particularly clear. Fine offers one explanation here:
I don't know about you, but that last paragraph was too vague to be compelling, or convincing, to me and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the "most merciless" and "most principled" part of that quote.
The rest of the book follows in much the same vein as the previous paragraph with a lot of generalized explanations that don't really flesh out the story. And, unfortunately, Lela loses a lot of her good qualities as the book goes on in her determination to do things her way. Part of the idealization of Malachi's character requires him to cater to every whim of Lela's, no matter how pointless, and much of the story seems aimless as a result. The ending only adds an extra level of silliness with a deus ex machina twist that only serves to set up the story for a sequel rather than follow the narrative to a logical conclusion.
If Fine had kept the story primarily about Lela and Nadia I think "Sanctum" could have been something special--though some tweaks to the writing would have also been necessary. I'd hoped for a story about an unbreakable friendship, but Fine unfortunately chose to toss an interesting concept and instead write another generic teen romance.
"Sanctum" is a book that attempts to deal with some dark themes. Both rape and suicide figure heavily into the narrative and Fine tries to deal with the subjects as sensitively as possible. Lela starts off as a very sympathetic character as she has overcome a lot in her short life. Shuffled from one foster home to another, she has suffered the worst kinds of abuse from the people who should have been protecting her. Lela almost succeeds in killing herself after being repeatedly assaulted by foster parent but is able to overcome her past with the help of the unexpected friendship of Nadia.
Nadia is the golden-girl as far as the outside world is concerned. She's beautiful, popular and grows up with the kind of affluence most kids can only dream of. But she and Lela are kindred spirits thanks to dysfunctional homes and their unlikely friendship, while baffling to the outside world, makes sense to the two girls. Lela feels an uncommon loyalty to Nadia because she goes against the in-crowd pressure to only maintain friendships within her own clique and pushes Lela to hope for more in life than just getting-by.
But Nadia, like many other teens, gets bogged down in despair and after finding that numbing herself with drugs doesn't work, she takes her own life. Lela doesn't intentionally follow Nadia into the afterworld, but after a fatal accident sends her to the afterlife she recognizes the Suicide Gates from her own suicide attempt and, instead of drifting into the quiet ease of an undefined paradise, she runs into the dreary Shadowlands in hopes of saving Nadia.
If "Sanctum" has stayed with the story described in the synopsis, it could have been a great book. But after the initial set-up, one that happens to be pretty good, Fine drops the ball and moves on to a very Twilight-ish romance that undermines everything I had liked about the book up to that point. My main issue with "Sanctum" comes from the fact that Lela is so traumatized by her rape that she can't stand to have anyone touch her- until she meets Malachi.
Malachi, the love interest, fits the mold of the teenage dream: the good looking bad-ass who happens to be oh-so sensitive to the needs of a damaged young woman. Malachi is also, despite looking like a teenager, much older than Lela. The love story doesn't quite follow the mold of the Edward-Bella dynamic but I was very much bothered by the fact Lela's problems could be essentially cured by the insta-love storyline. Lela flashes back to her rape often. Every time she is touched by anyone, including Nadia, she freezes up in panic. I can appreciate these moments because they have the ring of authenticity to them, even though I do think they could be triggering to any rape victim that reads the book. So it's problematic that her aversion to touch could be overcome shortly after meeting Malachi (at least when he touches her) even when she cannot tolerate a hug from a friend she'd literally go to hell for. Much is made of Malachi's sensitivity to Lela's fear of being touched, but the fact that Lela's trauma is mostly overcome by her desire for Malachi does not do justice to the emotional journey of a rape victim in my opinion.
"Sanctum" isn't just about the grim topics of rape and suicide; Fine also tries to tackle the nature of the afterlife. I've read a number of books that have tried to address the notion of where a soul goes after a person commits suicide and Fine's version, while not totally unique, has its own flair. Instead of demons her afterlife is populated by creatures known as "Mazikin" (demons by another name really) and her purgatory (the "Shadowlands" in this case) has an interesting mix of hope and despair. In some respects I liked this part of the story because it had something to say about setting aside superficial concerns and focusing on the things that really matter. But much of the story is told in an info-dump fashion and the clunkiness of the writing tends to detract from the overall flow.
Another thing that never really makes sense is how Malachi came to be the captain of the Shadowland Guards. He's human, they're not, and the how and why he came to lead them or why they don't like him isn't particularly clear. Fine offers one explanation here:
"Was it just me, or did the Guards at the Station seem less than eager to help him?" I wondered because he'd come to rescue me after what I'd done.
Raphael somehow read my mind. "Don't worry, it's not you. Malachi is a controversial character among the Guard. He is their Captain, but he is not one of them. They were created to function as a unit, but he often operates alone or with Ana, who is human like him. He is the most merciless of them all but also the most principled. He has changed some policies for dealing with the Mazikin in recent years, and the other Guards do not like it. He comes from a different place then they do, and his future is different from theirs. As it has been with all their human leaders, it is hard for the other guards to understand him, and some of them don't try."
I don't know about you, but that last paragraph was too vague to be compelling, or convincing, to me and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the "most merciless" and "most principled" part of that quote.
The rest of the book follows in much the same vein as the previous paragraph with a lot of generalized explanations that don't really flesh out the story. And, unfortunately, Lela loses a lot of her good qualities as the book goes on in her determination to do things her way. Part of the idealization of Malachi's character requires him to cater to every whim of Lela's, no matter how pointless, and much of the story seems aimless as a result. The ending only adds an extra level of silliness with a deus ex machina twist that only serves to set up the story for a sequel rather than follow the narrative to a logical conclusion.
If Fine had kept the story primarily about Lela and Nadia I think "Sanctum" could have been something special--though some tweaks to the writing would have also been necessary. I'd hoped for a story about an unbreakable friendship, but Fine unfortunately chose to toss an interesting concept and instead write another generic teen romance.
February 17, 2013
True confession: I had never even heard of this book. And I saw a two star review of it on goodreads, which for some reason (?), had me intrigued. I downloaded the sample onto my kindle, and at the end of the sample I clicked the buy-now-and-continue-reading-thingy. I am still baffled at myself. I don't even read this genre, guys (me? Urban fantasy?).
I know nothing about this genre, so it's not like I can compare, all I know is this: I was drawn into this world and spent most the day finding excuses to sneak up to my bedroom and knock off a few more chapters. I read it in under 24 hours and so completely enjoyed myself.
It's hard for me to differentiate between whether this was a good book or just a good reading experience. Does that make sense? At the time, it was so compelling and unusual and swoony and different and just so unexpected. Anyway, I am a fan of a good reading experience and am still stunned at how much I got caught up in this book (sometimes I know I am reading a good book, but the reading experience is just not doing anything for me, so I much prefer a good experience, you know?).
Sanctum is dark. It is set in a kind of Hell-place (you can tell I am out of my depth talking urban fantasy, haha) and so many scenes are vivid in this horrific, scary-intriguing, can't-look-away-way. It's imaginative and compelling. You would think a setting like this would not be the nicest head space to crawl into. Not so. It was strangely fun, like I was inside my own lucid dream, where things felt real but were just horribly, squirmishly wrong.
Alongside this creative and fully-fleshed out world, Sarah Fine created this kick-arse crew of characters. Complete with mysterious (and ultimately heart-breaking) back stories. I am all about characters, always. It's characters who sell me on a book and in Sanctum I was sold.
Lela is tough but relatable, she's unbelievably determined and has just the perfect, tiny amount of sweetness (hidden away in a lovely vulnerable way. And Malachi. OKAY. He is probably the kind of stuff urban fantasy male leads are made of: hot (given), tough and capable (in that warrior way, muscles and kickarse fighting and all that), hard and intimidating (at first...) sensitive and so absolutely vulnerable (okay, secretly, but those hints of vulnerability add to his appeal). These two have chemistry and just LOADS of appeal. People who liked to get carried away and swoon while reading, will be able to swoon away in this book ;)
Sanctum is not the book you think it is. I finished it and even then was like, woah, what did I just read? I am a still a little stunned at the way I gobbled it up, and I am recommending it to people who are in the mood for something different. And to people who don't mind being taken on a strange, and at times dark, journey alongside two beaten down, but still fighting, characters (what a sentence heh). I'll be reading the next one (the ending of this had an awesome twist, so much so that now I have no idea what to even expect of number two...)
Does this review even make sense? I am flummoxed.
I know nothing about this genre, so it's not like I can compare, all I know is this: I was drawn into this world and spent most the day finding excuses to sneak up to my bedroom and knock off a few more chapters. I read it in under 24 hours and so completely enjoyed myself.
It's hard for me to differentiate between whether this was a good book or just a good reading experience. Does that make sense? At the time, it was so compelling and unusual and swoony and different and just so unexpected. Anyway, I am a fan of a good reading experience and am still stunned at how much I got caught up in this book (sometimes I know I am reading a good book, but the reading experience is just not doing anything for me, so I much prefer a good experience, you know?).
Sanctum is dark. It is set in a kind of Hell-place (you can tell I am out of my depth talking urban fantasy, haha) and so many scenes are vivid in this horrific, scary-intriguing, can't-look-away-way. It's imaginative and compelling. You would think a setting like this would not be the nicest head space to crawl into. Not so. It was strangely fun, like I was inside my own lucid dream, where things felt real but were just horribly, squirmishly wrong.
Alongside this creative and fully-fleshed out world, Sarah Fine created this kick-arse crew of characters. Complete with mysterious (and ultimately heart-breaking) back stories. I am all about characters, always. It's characters who sell me on a book and in Sanctum I was sold.
Lela is tough but relatable, she's unbelievably determined and has just the perfect, tiny amount of sweetness (hidden away in a lovely vulnerable way. And Malachi. OKAY. He is probably the kind of stuff urban fantasy male leads are made of: hot (given), tough and capable (in that warrior way, muscles and kickarse fighting and all that), hard and intimidating (at first...) sensitive and so absolutely vulnerable (okay, secretly, but those hints of vulnerability add to his appeal). These two have chemistry and just LOADS of appeal. People who liked to get carried away and swoon while reading, will be able to swoon away in this book ;)
Sanctum is not the book you think it is. I finished it and even then was like, woah, what did I just read? I am a still a little stunned at the way I gobbled it up, and I am recommending it to people who are in the mood for something different. And to people who don't mind being taken on a strange, and at times dark, journey alongside two beaten down, but still fighting, characters (what a sentence heh). I'll be reading the next one (the ending of this had an awesome twist, so much so that now I have no idea what to even expect of number two...)
Does this review even make sense? I am flummoxed.
January 3, 2013
....bleach...?
Lots of things reminded me of Bleach (in a good way):
Lela = Ichigo
Nadia = Orihime/Rukia in season 1
Guards = Soul Reaper
The City = The Soul Society
Zones = Districts
Mazikin = Hollows
Lots of things reminded me of Bleach (in a good way):
Lela = Ichigo
Nadia = Orihime/Rukia in season 1
Guards = Soul Reaper
The City = The Soul Society
Zones = Districts
Mazikin = Hollows
March 27, 2016
That was one harrowing ride of a book! I just had to comment on the fact that Lela on the cover has straight hair and in the book she has wild curly hair. It bothers me when they don't match! I had no idea what was happening because things happened so quickly, but I had so many questions as to why and how she ended up there by the Suicide Gates.
I also pretty much loved Lela's character for being so determined to help her best friend Nadia get to a place where she belonged, and in the process almost lose her own soul. I did think her attraction towards Malachi was incredibly fast but I guess when you're in hell, time slows down.
It's quite sad hearing some of these suicidal stories that the characters went through.. What I also don't understand are what the Mazikin really are. They creep me out so much to the point I pretty much labeled them as demons.
I also love how diverse the characters are having different people from different countries show up in a book is refreshing. I too loved how the author Sarah Fine interpreted depression and how it feels like to not care about anyone or anything because you're just sick. It made a lot of sense since she's also a psychologist.
Grab this one if you love paranormal action romance adventures!
I also pretty much loved Lela's character for being so determined to help her best friend Nadia get to a place where she belonged, and in the process almost lose her own soul. I did think her attraction towards Malachi was incredibly fast but I guess when you're in hell, time slows down.
It's quite sad hearing some of these suicidal stories that the characters went through.. What I also don't understand are what the Mazikin really are. They creep me out so much to the point I pretty much labeled them as demons.
I also love how diverse the characters are having different people from different countries show up in a book is refreshing. I too loved how the author Sarah Fine interpreted depression and how it feels like to not care about anyone or anything because you're just sick. It made a lot of sense since she's also a psychologist.
Grab this one if you love paranormal action romance adventures!
October 23, 2012
Oh wow! This was pure awesomeness!
LOVED the concept! I haven't read anything like this before. Great worldbuilding, great characters and a love interest to die for. I couldn't get enough of this story and I'm dying to get my hands on the sequel! Hurry up Sarah, I need more of this! Good stuff!
LOVED the concept! I haven't read anything like this before. Great worldbuilding, great characters and a love interest to die for. I couldn't get enough of this story and I'm dying to get my hands on the sequel! Hurry up Sarah, I need more of this! Good stuff!
January 16, 2025
My sixth book by Ms Fine, but so much darker than anything of hers I've read. I loved the Reliquary trilogy, The Servants of Fate not quite as much, I still have the final book in that trilogy to read. But I dove into this not knowing just how dark it was going to be. Lela is a damaged, but an incredibly resiliant heroine and MC, but what a dystopian place she ends up in when she follows her best friend Nadia as a suicide. There are some nasties there.
The writing is excellent as usual, but I did struggle with the darkness of the place and some of the characters, but Malachi was an excellent foil. Mixed feelings, not sure if or when I may venture to the next in the trilogy that is waiting on my kindle.
The writing is excellent as usual, but I did struggle with the darkness of the place and some of the characters, but Malachi was an excellent foil. Mixed feelings, not sure if or when I may venture to the next in the trilogy that is waiting on my kindle.
February 3, 2015
Not what I expected at all.
I thought maybe this would be a fantasy journey into a Dante-like hell that a girl goes through to find her friend. Instead, it was a story about depression, suicide, abuse, and overcoming. I was struck by how well the author was able to explore such dark and depressing subjects without depressing the reader. Instead of feeling sad and hopeless by the despair that is so well depicted, I felt encouraged by the overall message of fighting to overcome the past and to keep going no matter what.
Lela personified this message. She had her rock-bottom. She saw a glimpse of hell and she fought back. She gives credit to Nadia for encouraging her to bringing her back, but she gets credit for even allowing Nadia to get even close to her. It takes so much courage to let another person in when you have suffered abuse because this is so true about what you are thinking when you reveal yourself to another person:
Should I have kept my mouth shut? Would he look at me differently now that all he'd suspected had been confirmed?
...I didn't want to be damaged. I wanted... to see me as whole. Not broken. Not used...
That passage is only one of so many that I highlighted in this book because it really was amazing at how well the author captured the psyche of the depressed, abused, and suicidal. With one big exception, and that was how quickly she seemed to be able to accept Malachi's touch without many problems. Malachi was an exceptional character - he had been working with depressed and suicide victims for many years and really understood their mind-set - but still. I wasn't so sure about how quickly Lela fell for him.
The world-building in this book is also really great. I loved how this place was a whole new fantasy world, instead of building on something that we already know (such as Dante). All in all, it was a great adventure through an interesting world alongside this amazing message.
I thought maybe this would be a fantasy journey into a Dante-like hell that a girl goes through to find her friend. Instead, it was a story about depression, suicide, abuse, and overcoming. I was struck by how well the author was able to explore such dark and depressing subjects without depressing the reader. Instead of feeling sad and hopeless by the despair that is so well depicted, I felt encouraged by the overall message of fighting to overcome the past and to keep going no matter what.
Lela personified this message. She had her rock-bottom. She saw a glimpse of hell and she fought back. She gives credit to Nadia for encouraging her to bringing her back, but she gets credit for even allowing Nadia to get even close to her. It takes so much courage to let another person in when you have suffered abuse because this is so true about what you are thinking when you reveal yourself to another person:
Should I have kept my mouth shut? Would he look at me differently now that all he'd suspected had been confirmed?
...I didn't want to be damaged. I wanted... to see me as whole. Not broken. Not used...
That passage is only one of so many that I highlighted in this book because it really was amazing at how well the author captured the psyche of the depressed, abused, and suicidal. With one big exception, and that was how quickly she seemed to be able to accept Malachi's touch without many problems. Malachi was an exceptional character - he had been working with depressed and suicide victims for many years and really understood their mind-set - but still. I wasn't so sure about how quickly Lela fell for him.
The world-building in this book is also really great. I loved how this place was a whole new fantasy world, instead of building on something that we already know (such as Dante). All in all, it was a great adventure through an interesting world alongside this amazing message.
February 9, 2013
BookNook — Young Adult book reviews
Oh my god, you guys!!! I did not expect this book to be so amazing. I bought this book completely on a whim. I never do that. I saw an ad for it on my Kindle screensaver, thought "That's kind of a cool cover," and bought it. Well, Sanctum blew me away.
I think I'm going to burst if I don't mention the romance right away, because it was incredible. I didn't expect a great romance from a paranormal story. Usually when I want a great romance, I look towards contemporaries. But Sanctum has it all: great plot, great world building, and an insanely delicious and jaw-dropping romance. Honestly, the romance does start off a little fast, but I seriously did not care at all. Because Malachi—oh-so-sexy Malachi—is the sweetest, sexiest, most badass of all book boyfriends.
The deep voids of his eyes were surrounded by thick, black lashes and full of confidence and threat. It was as if he'd already assessed my weaknesses and ticked off all the possible ways to kill me, so now he could relax and be friendly.
"I never said I didn't want you to touch me! That is exactly the problem. Every time you put your hands on me, I don't want you to let go.
"You can be selfish. It makes me feel wanted. And I..." He chuckled softly. "I want you to want me."
Malachi is sweet, selfless, tender, but also the hot Captain of the Guard that can kill guys with his bare hands. He's deep and thoughtful, but without being corny or cheesy. So many of the scenes with Malachi—especially towards the end—had me giggling and squealing like a crazy, love-struck girl!
Okay, I'll attempt to pull myself together and talk about Lela. Lela was a fantastic main character, and extremely likeable (most of the time). She's strong, sensitive, damaged, and also kicks some ass. I loved her dedication to Nadia. It was just so... admirable. At times it made me feel bad, because I seriously wondered if I would go through all that for one of my friends. I mean, we'd all like to think we would, but if it comes down to it, would we actually give up eternal happiness to travel through hell (with no guarantee that we could go back)? I really think this makes Lela one of the most selfless characters I've ever read about.
But the thing I loved most about Lela was how she held her own. She wasn't a poor, pathetic, wimpy character that needed rescuing. Lela was strong, stubborn, and determined. Sure, sometimes she was a little foolish, or maybe a little too self-sacrificing, but I still loved how independent she was. She makes some incredibly difficult choices that had me sitting there in awe.
Sanctum is one of those books that will have you highlighting every other line. It is riddled with deep, thought-provoking messages about life, death, loss, and love. So many passages forced me to just stop and think for a minute. I swear, you guys, this shit is deep.
They're so absorbed in their own sadness that they can't see past the darkness.
She once told me that everybody carried their secret savages beneath their skin, and some people just covered them better than others.
I think some people like the disease better [than the cure]. It's more familiar, and they don't want to give it up, even once they know they can be healed of it.
"Mercy is not a right. Mercy is a gift from one to another. It can't be earned."
I kind of expected Sanctum to be good, just because of the high ratings, but I don't think I expected it to be this good. Sanctum was so imaginative, dark, scary, and provocative. It has a deliciously swoony romance that will bring you to your knees, and is riddled with tough decisions and sacrifices. Book 2: bring it on. (Seriously, I want it now, please.)
November 4, 2014
For paranormal romance/action, this book was 5 bright, twinkling stars!
The plot was engaging, begging each page to be turned to find out the fate of all the characters and delve deeper into the world. No lulls... Every moment is pushing the action, blooming emotional attachments, or overall plot forward.
The world was realistically imaginative, captivating, & yet scary as hell (literally) without being all brimstone and fire. I absolutely love an author that's able to give and show readers a world throughout the plot & characters verses going into long diatribes, inner monologues, or descriptive narratives that tell the reader about the world, and this author did it perfectly!
Each character had a unique and interesting voice and history. Their backstories were heartbreaking, especially Malachi's, and gave reason to their strengths and determination. These are characters that have seen the worst of humanity.
Lela was fierce, brave, & loyal, placing her friendship with Nadia & growing love for Malachi above her own needs and wants. Malachi was the epitome of swoon - badass that softened only in the arms of the gal that had suddenly captured his heart.
Highly recommend for paranormal readers that like equal parts action and developing romance.
The plot was engaging, begging each page to be turned to find out the fate of all the characters and delve deeper into the world. No lulls... Every moment is pushing the action, blooming emotional attachments, or overall plot forward.
The world was realistically imaginative, captivating, & yet scary as hell (literally) without being all brimstone and fire. I absolutely love an author that's able to give and show readers a world throughout the plot & characters verses going into long diatribes, inner monologues, or descriptive narratives that tell the reader about the world, and this author did it perfectly!
Each character had a unique and interesting voice and history. Their backstories were heartbreaking, especially Malachi's, and gave reason to their strengths and determination. These are characters that have seen the worst of humanity.
Lela was fierce, brave, & loyal, placing her friendship with Nadia & growing love for Malachi above her own needs and wants. Malachi was the epitome of swoon - badass that softened only in the arms of the gal that had suddenly captured his heart.
Highly recommend for paranormal readers that like equal parts action and developing romance.
January 26, 2022
2 out of 10
ревью на русском/review in russian
Too retro for my nowadays taste. Too cliched and eye-rolling as well.
The characters here are cardboard according to the typical YA canons, clearly divided into good and bad. Motivation and justification for their actions are far-fetched. The language is easy-readable, but with zero stylization. Everyone communicates in teenage slang (regardless of age and environment).
There's a special hell for people who died by suicide. Ironic enough, they can die again if the Mazinkins (too funny word to see them as the beasts they are) decide so. The MC's friend kills herself and gets in this very hell, and then the MC dies from the... wind, yet it's a suicide too. Somehow. Uh-huh. That's how her love and adventures in hell begin.
Nothing original, all the clichés are here. The author didn't even try to at least somehow distinguish between hell and the leaving world. Those are the same. The plot is simple and meh.
This book could have been released with a bang in the 90s or 00s, but in our time it's rather a miss.
July 10, 2013
3.5 STARS
I think I came into this book expecting something entirely different from how it turned out to be. Some turned out better but more just left me unsatisfied.
The story starts with Lela and Nadia forging the unlikeliest of friendships: Lela is the school misfit who smokes, does push ups and beats up abusive foster fathers while Nadia is the school's Queen Bee. They meet in the most auspicious manner, Lela saving Nadia from getting her stash from an opportunistic drug dealer. It seems like a sweet story of Nadia taking Lela under her wing and giving her a shiny new perspective in life, a camera and the daring to forge a future out for herself... until Nadia commits suicide and gets herself sent to The Dark City where... hmm.. it's actually quite fuzzy the workings of this place but think of it as purgatory with shady creatures that possess already dead bodies, where you can watch your least liked episodes of your favorite shows through a TV connected to an umbilical cord (!) and a tower that eats people. Literally.
Lela has to find Nadia and manages to entail the help of Malachi, the captain of the Guards who watches over this magical, fun place.
I liked a lot about this book. I liked the crafty imagination vividly depicting the details and the dreariness of The Dark City. There was a lot of action sequences which I quite enjoyed, the gruesome details appealed to the latent action flick fanboy in me. I have some fondness over Michael because he reminds me of Fat Bastard and I really liked Ana because often times she spoke in my behalf when I wanted to voice out my disbelief over certain plot points. I also liked how the author handled the issues of suicide, depression and rape making the behavior of those who experienced it in this book believable, earning my compassion and understanding.
I just didn't expect it to be this... SUGARY. I don't mind the sweetness of it all, I just needed something more to wash off the cloying taste.
It's so easy to use romance as the gateway emotion to form the foundation of a story. I'm okay with that, even if it sometimes comes to a point where it starts to feel lazy and this book crossed that line several times over, I felt, relying too much on the chemistry between Malachi and Lela to drive the story along.
I really like Malachi, his story is heartbreaking, but as Lela romantic interest he got a little too whipped for my taste.
Thinking back, it wasn't really insta-love but the gradual attraction between Lela and Malachi felt flimsy to me. Overall, Malachi seemed drawn to Lela by her strength and tenacity in the face of a daunting situation. Which is not bad... until he dropped all his responsibilities to do everything in his power to help this "fascinating" creature and thus single-handedly founding The Cult of Lela. I just wish the romance wasn't as heavy handed as it ended up (I can't believe I'm complaining about that) because it felt like an ill-fit for me in the face of how crazy-impressive the world Sarah Fine built here.
Crazy-impressive but still confusing. The scope just felt too big and tied to too many contradicting mythologies. I have this picture of Suicide City as some purgatory where you work out your issues and when you're ready, you go to The Sanctum and get judged if you can move on to the next phase. This made the ending sound a lot like cheating. Because . That's like getting someone to take the exam for you while you go on a vacation. Maybe my preconceived notions about purgatory colored my confusion further but the logic of it all looked pretty skewed to me.
I'm very vanilla towards Lela. I liked her in the beginning but towards the middle she started to call herself out on her mistakes. She'd openly declare herself stupid or a moron out loud... but her awareness of this doesn't change the fact that she did get the stupid on in some scenes. I think my tipping point was this very Matrix-y sequence (which I liked) where she gets taught how to fight by Malachi and Ana only .
I'm not even going to get started on the Mazikin (seriously, what are those things?) and the vagueness of these creatures. Suffice to say, I'm terribly disappointed with what I know of them in the end. It's okay to withhold some of the plot points for the next book, but seeing the big role they played in this book, what I knew of them by the last page was terribly deficient and didn't really spark my curiosity any more than it confused me.
Despite these gaping plot holes and the rough journey to get there, I still liked how things ended. I'm still curious where things are going and how would figure in the new status quo. I'm hopeful the wrinkles in the plot would get ironed out sufficiently and if I can dare hope further, ease on the sugar a little, maybe.
Not that I had a ton of experience but this was the freakiest slumber party I'd ever attended.
I think I came into this book expecting something entirely different from how it turned out to be. Some turned out better but more just left me unsatisfied.
The story starts with Lela and Nadia forging the unlikeliest of friendships: Lela is the school misfit who smokes, does push ups and beats up abusive foster fathers while Nadia is the school's Queen Bee. They meet in the most auspicious manner, Lela saving Nadia from getting her stash from an opportunistic drug dealer. It seems like a sweet story of Nadia taking Lela under her wing and giving her a shiny new perspective in life, a camera and the daring to forge a future out for herself... until Nadia commits suicide and gets herself sent to The Dark City where... hmm.. it's actually quite fuzzy the workings of this place but think of it as purgatory with shady creatures that possess already dead bodies, where you can watch your least liked episodes of your favorite shows through a TV connected to an umbilical cord (!) and a tower that eats people. Literally.
Lela has to find Nadia and manages to entail the help of Malachi, the captain of the Guards who watches over this magical, fun place.
I liked a lot about this book. I liked the crafty imagination vividly depicting the details and the dreariness of The Dark City. There was a lot of action sequences which I quite enjoyed, the gruesome details appealed to the latent action flick fanboy in me. I have some fondness over Michael because he reminds me of Fat Bastard and I really liked Ana because often times she spoke in my behalf when I wanted to voice out my disbelief over certain plot points. I also liked how the author handled the issues of suicide, depression and rape making the behavior of those who experienced it in this book believable, earning my compassion and understanding.
I just didn't expect it to be this... SUGARY. I don't mind the sweetness of it all, I just needed something more to wash off the cloying taste.
It's so easy to use romance as the gateway emotion to form the foundation of a story. I'm okay with that, even if it sometimes comes to a point where it starts to feel lazy and this book crossed that line several times over, I felt, relying too much on the chemistry between Malachi and Lela to drive the story along.
I really like Malachi, his story is heartbreaking, but as Lela romantic interest he got a little too whipped for my taste.
Thinking back, it wasn't really insta-love but the gradual attraction between Lela and Malachi felt flimsy to me. Overall, Malachi seemed drawn to Lela by her strength and tenacity in the face of a daunting situation. Which is not bad... until he dropped all his responsibilities to do everything in his power to help this "fascinating" creature and thus single-handedly founding The Cult of Lela. I just wish the romance wasn't as heavy handed as it ended up (I can't believe I'm complaining about that) because it felt like an ill-fit for me in the face of how crazy-impressive the world Sarah Fine built here.
Crazy-impressive but still confusing. The scope just felt too big and tied to too many contradicting mythologies. I have this picture of Suicide City as some purgatory where you work out your issues and when you're ready, you go to The Sanctum and get judged if you can move on to the next phase. This made the ending sound a lot like cheating. Because . That's like getting someone to take the exam for you while you go on a vacation. Maybe my preconceived notions about purgatory colored my confusion further but the logic of it all looked pretty skewed to me.
I'm very vanilla towards Lela. I liked her in the beginning but towards the middle she started to call herself out on her mistakes. She'd openly declare herself stupid or a moron out loud... but her awareness of this doesn't change the fact that she did get the stupid on in some scenes. I think my tipping point was this very Matrix-y sequence (which I liked) where she gets taught how to fight by Malachi and Ana only .
I'm not even going to get started on the Mazikin (seriously, what are those things?) and the vagueness of these creatures. Suffice to say, I'm terribly disappointed with what I know of them in the end. It's okay to withhold some of the plot points for the next book, but seeing the big role they played in this book, what I knew of them by the last page was terribly deficient and didn't really spark my curiosity any more than it confused me.
Despite these gaping plot holes and the rough journey to get there, I still liked how things ended. I'm still curious where things are going and how would figure in the new status quo. I'm hopeful the wrinkles in the plot would get ironed out sufficiently and if I can dare hope further, ease on the sugar a little, maybe.
June 6, 2015
"My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Keep us safe. Find a way out. Simple."
IT'S BEEN A LOOOONG TIME SINCE I FELT THE RUSH OF ADRENALINE FROM READING A BOOK. I miss it. I need it. I am C-R-A-V-I-N-G for it. Craving for that pumped up feeling and the need to stay up late merely because I can't put it down.
THANK GOD I STUMBLED UPON THIS BOOK.
I'm not going to lie. If it wasn't for 'Angelfall,' I wouldn't have found & read Sanctum. I googled "Books similar to Angelfall on goodreads" (Ohhh yes, I'm SUCH a fan..) and saw Sanctum on top of the list. But hey, don't get me wrong, this isn't about angels and apocalypse at all. It's just similarly oh-so-good, adrenaline rushing, BADASS, & has a GOOD ROMANCE that isn't easy to find nowadays.
■■■
(photo from p0m.deviantart.com)
The majority of the book takes place behind the Suicide Gates called the "Dark City." It's a place afterlife where those who commit suicide go. The city is bathed in darkness and all sources of light are lifeless and faint. A city where you can see the sun at zero brightness & warmth. A city where dead people breathe, bleed, and can get "killed."
Oh, have I mentioned there are creepy, filthy, and venomous human monsters roaming in this city?.... Go figure.
"I liked being in control. It was why I hated pills. And alcohol. And most grown-ups. Staying one step ahead was the only way to keep myself from getting hurt again."
Meet Lela Santos. She's by far the strongest and bravest girl among all my favorite female characters. I'm telling you, she's a real SPITFIRE. And boy, does she kick ass!
"That’s better, thank you. Now, if you don’t tell me why you’re here, right now, I will slice that tattoo off your arm and burn it in front of you, Lela."
Meet Malachi, the captain of the guards. **His features were smooth and unlined but it held a harsh, dangerous sort of beauty.** He isn't a bad boy. He isn't a good boy either. He is dangerous, at the same time sympathetic. He doesn't often say the sweetest words to Lela (thank God!) but he never hides how much he's come to care about her either. Aww Malachi, you're my kind of perfect.. *dreamy sigh*
Malachi and Lela's chemistry is just undeniable. It's not often that a love story really strikes a cord within me but THIS.. THE ROMANCE, I FEEL IT ALL THE WAY TO MY BONES. (You guys don't have any idea how much I want to insert scenes & dialogues to support this but I want you all to read them firsthand)
❤ ❥ ❤ ❥ ❤
Sarah Fine's writing is sooo vivid, it's AMAZING. The world in this book is fully fleshed out that I promise there's not a scene I hadn't pictured in my head. I could see and feel everything that was happening. Also, the plot never lost momentum despite the great romance going on. I appreciate that A LOT.
Overall, I love the originality of the story, the writing, the characters, the danger, the imperfections, EVERYTHING. I'm recommending this to everyone!!!
IT'S BEEN A LOOOONG TIME SINCE I FELT THE RUSH OF ADRENALINE FROM READING A BOOK. I miss it. I need it. I am C-R-A-V-I-N-G for it. Craving for that pumped up feeling and the need to stay up late merely because I can't put it down.
THANK GOD I STUMBLED UPON THIS BOOK.
I'm not going to lie. If it wasn't for 'Angelfall,' I wouldn't have found & read Sanctum. I googled "Books similar to Angelfall on goodreads" (Ohhh yes, I'm SUCH a fan..) and saw Sanctum on top of the list. But hey, don't get me wrong, this isn't about angels and apocalypse at all. It's just similarly oh-so-good, adrenaline rushing, BADASS, & has a GOOD ROMANCE that isn't easy to find nowadays.
■■■
(photo from p0m.deviantart.com)
The majority of the book takes place behind the Suicide Gates called the "Dark City." It's a place afterlife where those who commit suicide go. The city is bathed in darkness and all sources of light are lifeless and faint. A city where you can see the sun at zero brightness & warmth. A city where dead people breathe, bleed, and can get "killed."
Oh, have I mentioned there are creepy, filthy, and venomous human monsters roaming in this city?.... Go figure.
"I liked being in control. It was why I hated pills. And alcohol. And most grown-ups. Staying one step ahead was the only way to keep myself from getting hurt again."
Meet Lela Santos. She's by far the strongest and bravest girl among all my favorite female characters. I'm telling you, she's a real SPITFIRE. And boy, does she kick ass!
"That’s better, thank you. Now, if you don’t tell me why you’re here, right now, I will slice that tattoo off your arm and burn it in front of you, Lela."
Meet Malachi, the captain of the guards. **His features were smooth and unlined but it held a harsh, dangerous sort of beauty.** He isn't a bad boy. He isn't a good boy either. He is dangerous, at the same time sympathetic. He doesn't often say the sweetest words to Lela (thank God!) but he never hides how much he's come to care about her either. Aww Malachi, you're my kind of perfect.. *dreamy sigh*
Malachi and Lela's chemistry is just undeniable. It's not often that a love story really strikes a cord within me but THIS.. THE ROMANCE, I FEEL IT ALL THE WAY TO MY BONES. (You guys don't have any idea how much I want to insert scenes & dialogues to support this but I want you all to read them firsthand)
❤ ❥ ❤ ❥ ❤
Sarah Fine's writing is sooo vivid, it's AMAZING. The world in this book is fully fleshed out that I promise there's not a scene I hadn't pictured in my head. I could see and feel everything that was happening. Also, the plot never lost momentum despite the great romance going on. I appreciate that A LOT.
Overall, I love the originality of the story, the writing, the characters, the danger, the imperfections, EVERYTHING. I'm recommending this to everyone!!!
November 14, 2012
Holy Moly! It’s been ages and ages and ages since a YA PNR’s (UF?) left me feeling this pumped. She’s dark and broken and fancies herself damaged, but is also moving passed that. She’s friends and connections and finally sees something more out there for her. ‘Till she loses her someone and finds herself in this twisted version of not-quite-hell, maybe purgatory.
It’s twisted this place: getting all you want but never being happy with whatever that happens to be! It’s twisted this place with these guards shepherding these people so despondent, they’re totally unaware of where they are and or even why they are! Setting of my nightmares, this place where things could only have been worse had it been filled with a Pennywise here, some flying paper monkeys there. But fascinating too with the in’s and out’s of growing buildings and towers that consume those in it!
And while I loved the world she’d found herself in (I was enthralled by it all, in fact) Lena and Malachi and the rest of them were not bad either. She’s kick ass, he’s kicks… hell, they were all kick ass if not a bit deluded over their own importance. With that last minor thing aside, the darkness they each brought with them piqued my interest as they came in to the story on equal footing:
It’s not boy saves girl or girl inspires boy, though things could have gone that way, too. Here he’s broken and dark, but she is too. It’s just that he’s had more time dealing while she’s new to that... and OK so he mentors her and takes her under his wing, (and may be I could have done with out that,) but the closer she got to doing what she was there for, the closer they got to each other! So that the chemistry going on (and there’s no denying the chemistry there,) was a lot like Dimka and his Rose, less the whole forbidden love thing the latter had going for them.
But my favorite things here and note that there were several things in this... Well, the first touches on her being kick ass… but not just kick ass. A couple of moments have her showing vulnerability so that it’s obvious… her being the way she is, well, there’s reason for that. Just think of Chessie or Eve and you’ll see a little of them in her. Another is how she gets called out on being full of it…though not necessarily in those terms and not as harshly. She rides to the rescue only to be told that there’s a time and place for everything and everyone, herself included.
Awesome… and that’s even when the lead characters were behaving like douches!
4/5
It’s twisted this place: getting all you want but never being happy with whatever that happens to be! It’s twisted this place with these guards shepherding these people so despondent, they’re totally unaware of where they are and or even why they are! Setting of my nightmares, this place where things could only have been worse had it been filled with a Pennywise here, some flying paper monkeys there. But fascinating too with the in’s and out’s of growing buildings and towers that consume those in it!
And while I loved the world she’d found herself in (I was enthralled by it all, in fact) Lena and Malachi and the rest of them were not bad either. She’s kick ass, he’s kicks… hell, they were all kick ass if not a bit deluded over their own importance. With that last minor thing aside, the darkness they each brought with them piqued my interest as they came in to the story on equal footing:
It’s not boy saves girl or girl inspires boy, though things could have gone that way, too. Here he’s broken and dark, but she is too. It’s just that he’s had more time dealing while she’s new to that... and OK so he mentors her and takes her under his wing, (and may be I could have done with out that,) but the closer she got to doing what she was there for, the closer they got to each other! So that the chemistry going on (and there’s no denying the chemistry there,) was a lot like Dimka and his Rose, less the whole forbidden love thing the latter had going for them.
But my favorite things here and note that there were several things in this... Well, the first touches on her being kick ass… but not just kick ass. A couple of moments have her showing vulnerability so that it’s obvious… her being the way she is, well, there’s reason for that. Just think of Chessie or Eve and you’ll see a little of them in her. Another is how she gets called out on being full of it…though not necessarily in those terms and not as harshly. She rides to the rescue only to be told that there’s a time and place for everything and everyone, herself included.
Awesome… and that’s even when the lead characters were behaving like douches!
4/5
June 8, 2016
Six stars. I am in heaven. The book gods have poured sunshine all over my brain. Will review when I regain my senses.
May 18, 2015
Where the hell was I when this book was released last year? Seriously. The only reason it was even on my radar was because of a blog tour wherein I believe parts of Malachi's journal were revealed. [I still need to check those out, so don't spoil anything for me. ;)] And apparently, Amazon Children's Publishing is touting this as their next big thing for fans of Susan Ee's Angelfall. As a HUGE fan of that book, I can tell you that Sanctum was just as good as Angelfall.
While Angelfall entertains the idea of deviant angels on earth, Sanctum takes the story to the afterlife. I know, I know...angels and the afterlife are soooo overdone in YA. But it's the author's spin that makes these books really stand apart from all of those others. With Sanctum, there's no going through the stages of grief after death, no wishing to be alive again. This book is simply about Lela's mission to save her suicidal best friend from a hellish future in the afterlife, one that she's only dreamt about but that her friend is truly living.
Lela hasn't had an easy life. And until she sticks her neck out for someone she doesn't even know, she hadn't realized it could actually get better. Once Nadia befriends Lela, everything changes. Suddenly, Lela has a future. But just when things are going great, Nadia leaves Lela to deal with everything on her own. Lela didn't set out to follow Nadia into the afterlife, but now that she's there, and because she knows what awaits Nadia thanks to the nightmares that have plagued her over the years, she is willing to do anything to save her best friend. I think it speaks so much to Lela's character and to how much she's progressed that she cares so deeply for this girl that she's only known for a year.
The afterlife doesn't have to be the muted, dreary existence that awaits Nadia behind the Suicide Gates. But as the name implies, that is the afterlife that one can expect when they take their own life. The cover of this book might have turned me off previously because of its bleakness, but now, having read the book, I think it's a very appropriate and entirely suitable cover. The setting of this story is so dismal and gray, but based on the descriptions provided by Lela in the book, the city depicted on the cover is exactly like I imagined. And knowing how it got that way makes it all the more intriguing because this is a place where you can have anything you want but it will never be enough.
While searching this dark city for Nadia so that she can break her out, Lela has a run-in with one of the guards. I don't know any better way to describe their relationship than this: Malachi is to Lela what Dimitri was to Rose in the Vampire Academy series...sexy accent included. Lela is already strong and capable, but Malachi makes her better. In Malachi, Lela finds the sanctuary and solace that she has desperately needed all her life. But Lela means just as much to Malachi...after learning his story and how he ended up at the Suicide Gates, I think he might need Lela even more than she needs him.
Malachi agrees to help Lela find Nadia and get them out of the city, but there are risks involved. There are these creatures (souls?) called Mazakin that want to be set free, and they are invading the Shadowlands. I like what this storyline added to the book: the danger, the race to stop them, the uneasy feeling that it might already be too late. I feel like maybe there's a reason why Lela followed Nadia so quickly in death, that the powers that be have a purpose for Lela, and maybe it has something to do with stopping the Mazakin. I usually am not a fan of taking free will away from a character, but in this case, it works.
Know what else is working for this story? The audiobook narrator. Amy McFadden is perrrrrfect! All of the accents, the emotion she expresses...I liken her skills to that of Khristine Hvam, who provided the narration for a couple of the Vampire Academy books (coincidence?) and Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bones series. This audiobook was so unbelievably good; it's the kind that you could listen to over and over again. Or maybe I'm just jonesing for another Malachi fix.
I could go on and on about this book, and still not fully convey how much I loved it. It's equal parts dark and disturbing, but there's an underlying current of hopefulness throughout. The tender moments far outweigh the battles scenes as far as favorites go for me because the chemistry between Malachi and Lela is undeniable, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate how badass these characters are. I'm so very glad I found this sleeper hit when I did...before it exploded on the YA market like Angelfall did. And although I hope the book follows in those same footsteps and exceeds everyone's expectations, one place I hope it doesn't tread is the no-man's land of "Is she ever going to write the sequel?" Because it's a whole other kind of torture to be waiting for the second book when there's no release date in sight. (By the by, there's no cliffhanger, if that's what you're thinking. I simply loved this story and want more. Like yesterday.)
Favorite Quotes:
"He looked up at me, dark brown eyes shining. "You're so beautiful," he slurred making me sure his lips were growing numb and his brain wasn't far behind. Figures. The first time a guy tells me I'm beautiful, I'm in hell and he's delirious.
"This kiss was a living thing. A wild and dangerous thing. It spread its wings and carried us out over the city, over the walls. Malachi tasted like the forest, like the sun, like every dream I'd ever had about what this moment should be."
"I wanted the chance to give him something, to give him the best of me, as pathetic as it was, damaged and broken, warped at the edges, hardly worth having. I decided that if I had the chance, if he asked, if he needed, it was his."
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
While Angelfall entertains the idea of deviant angels on earth, Sanctum takes the story to the afterlife. I know, I know...angels and the afterlife are soooo overdone in YA. But it's the author's spin that makes these books really stand apart from all of those others. With Sanctum, there's no going through the stages of grief after death, no wishing to be alive again. This book is simply about Lela's mission to save her suicidal best friend from a hellish future in the afterlife, one that she's only dreamt about but that her friend is truly living.
Lela hasn't had an easy life. And until she sticks her neck out for someone she doesn't even know, she hadn't realized it could actually get better. Once Nadia befriends Lela, everything changes. Suddenly, Lela has a future. But just when things are going great, Nadia leaves Lela to deal with everything on her own. Lela didn't set out to follow Nadia into the afterlife, but now that she's there, and because she knows what awaits Nadia thanks to the nightmares that have plagued her over the years, she is willing to do anything to save her best friend. I think it speaks so much to Lela's character and to how much she's progressed that she cares so deeply for this girl that she's only known for a year.
The afterlife doesn't have to be the muted, dreary existence that awaits Nadia behind the Suicide Gates. But as the name implies, that is the afterlife that one can expect when they take their own life. The cover of this book might have turned me off previously because of its bleakness, but now, having read the book, I think it's a very appropriate and entirely suitable cover. The setting of this story is so dismal and gray, but based on the descriptions provided by Lela in the book, the city depicted on the cover is exactly like I imagined. And knowing how it got that way makes it all the more intriguing because this is a place where you can have anything you want but it will never be enough.
While searching this dark city for Nadia so that she can break her out, Lela has a run-in with one of the guards. I don't know any better way to describe their relationship than this: Malachi is to Lela what Dimitri was to Rose in the Vampire Academy series...sexy accent included. Lela is already strong and capable, but Malachi makes her better. In Malachi, Lela finds the sanctuary and solace that she has desperately needed all her life. But Lela means just as much to Malachi...after learning his story and how he ended up at the Suicide Gates, I think he might need Lela even more than she needs him.
Malachi agrees to help Lela find Nadia and get them out of the city, but there are risks involved. There are these creatures (souls?) called Mazakin that want to be set free, and they are invading the Shadowlands. I like what this storyline added to the book: the danger, the race to stop them, the uneasy feeling that it might already be too late. I feel like maybe there's a reason why Lela followed Nadia so quickly in death, that the powers that be have a purpose for Lela, and maybe it has something to do with stopping the Mazakin. I usually am not a fan of taking free will away from a character, but in this case, it works.
Know what else is working for this story? The audiobook narrator. Amy McFadden is perrrrrfect! All of the accents, the emotion she expresses...I liken her skills to that of Khristine Hvam, who provided the narration for a couple of the Vampire Academy books (coincidence?) and Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bones series. This audiobook was so unbelievably good; it's the kind that you could listen to over and over again. Or maybe I'm just jonesing for another Malachi fix.
I could go on and on about this book, and still not fully convey how much I loved it. It's equal parts dark and disturbing, but there's an underlying current of hopefulness throughout. The tender moments far outweigh the battles scenes as far as favorites go for me because the chemistry between Malachi and Lela is undeniable, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate how badass these characters are. I'm so very glad I found this sleeper hit when I did...before it exploded on the YA market like Angelfall did. And although I hope the book follows in those same footsteps and exceeds everyone's expectations, one place I hope it doesn't tread is the no-man's land of "Is she ever going to write the sequel?" Because it's a whole other kind of torture to be waiting for the second book when there's no release date in sight. (By the by, there's no cliffhanger, if that's what you're thinking. I simply loved this story and want more. Like yesterday.)
Favorite Quotes:
"He looked up at me, dark brown eyes shining. "You're so beautiful," he slurred making me sure his lips were growing numb and his brain wasn't far behind. Figures. The first time a guy tells me I'm beautiful, I'm in hell and he's delirious.
"This kiss was a living thing. A wild and dangerous thing. It spread its wings and carried us out over the city, over the walls. Malachi tasted like the forest, like the sun, like every dream I'd ever had about what this moment should be."
"I wanted the chance to give him something, to give him the best of me, as pathetic as it was, damaged and broken, warped at the edges, hardly worth having. I decided that if I had the chance, if he asked, if he needed, it was his."
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
September 13, 2013
4.5 stars
Sanctum was a thrilling I want to gobble you up in one sitting type of book. But lo and behold the time I decided to pick it up, it was as if the world was conspiring against me. It took me five days to finish this book, and by the end of these five days my nails were ruggedly bitten.
Sarah Fine gave us a world full of despair, a world where no one wants to go to by choice, but this is what our MC Lela decides to do. Her best friend Nadia who meant the world to her has taken her life, Lela is really distraught about it. Nadia was there for Lela when she needed her the most, without her, she never would have become who she is today. It also doesn’t help that Lela keeps having visions of Nadia; all she wants to do is get her back any way possible. But she didn’t believe that she actually could.
Lela was such a head strong girl; I liked her strong will and determination to do anything to get Nadia back. The world she found herself in, I know for a fact that I would never survive, but many a times with her back against the wall Lela came out fighting. Malachi, where do I even start with this fine specimen? I remember a lot of my blogging friends were really enthusiastic about his character and it really is easy to see why. He was also such a tough individual, but I think what makes me melt even over guys is when they show their soft vulnerable side. Many times we were given insights into this other side of Malachi and at times it really broke my heart. Malachi certainly left a lasting impression with me, that I’m sure my blogging friends who have seemed to already have claimed him will have a fight on their hands.
Sanctum is another book this year which truly surprised me, it’s not a book which I would have immediately picked up but I’m so glad that I finally did. Sarah Fine has created a gem of a read, with pulsating scenes, a beautiful romance and difficult decisions for characters to make. In a way it’s good that I waited a while to pick up Sanctum as I only have to wait two months before I can get my hands on Fractured.
Sanctum was a thrilling I want to gobble you up in one sitting type of book. But lo and behold the time I decided to pick it up, it was as if the world was conspiring against me. It took me five days to finish this book, and by the end of these five days my nails were ruggedly bitten.
Sarah Fine gave us a world full of despair, a world where no one wants to go to by choice, but this is what our MC Lela decides to do. Her best friend Nadia who meant the world to her has taken her life, Lela is really distraught about it. Nadia was there for Lela when she needed her the most, without her, she never would have become who she is today. It also doesn’t help that Lela keeps having visions of Nadia; all she wants to do is get her back any way possible. But she didn’t believe that she actually could.
Lela was such a head strong girl; I liked her strong will and determination to do anything to get Nadia back. The world she found herself in, I know for a fact that I would never survive, but many a times with her back against the wall Lela came out fighting. Malachi, where do I even start with this fine specimen? I remember a lot of my blogging friends were really enthusiastic about his character and it really is easy to see why. He was also such a tough individual, but I think what makes me melt even over guys is when they show their soft vulnerable side. Many times we were given insights into this other side of Malachi and at times it really broke my heart. Malachi certainly left a lasting impression with me, that I’m sure my blogging friends who have seemed to already have claimed him will have a fight on their hands.
Sanctum is another book this year which truly surprised me, it’s not a book which I would have immediately picked up but I’m so glad that I finally did. Sarah Fine has created a gem of a read, with pulsating scenes, a beautiful romance and difficult decisions for characters to make. In a way it’s good that I waited a while to pick up Sanctum as I only have to wait two months before I can get my hands on Fractured.
June 15, 2020
THE DETAILS⇣
⇢ 4½✰STARS✰
⤏ GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS #1
⤏ WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU COMMIT SUICIDE
⤏ A VERSION OF HELL...
⤏ YA URBAN FANTASY
⤏ WITH A SPLASH OF ROMANCE
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 10 HOURS, 41 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON AUDIBLE
MY THOUGHTS⇣
Re-read/listen on Audio...the narration by Amy McFadden was not great...it was not only robotic-sounding but rather cheesy at times...and I know she has improved since this book came out because normally I'm okay with her narration. While not the greatest narration I've heard...it's not the worse either and I'm still glad I gave this a try on audio. I've docked a half star, though, for my rating, due to the narration.
From my original review of the eBook...Definitely, something different, I really liked this imaginative story. This is unlike anything I ever read before and in a good way. It has a kick-ass heroine and a very likable hero. It still holds true today and also I would add this is a great start to a series that I really enjoyed overall and while the second and third books don't hold a candle to the wonderment that this book has...they still complete the series really well. With a dark, insidious setting, in the murky depths of hell...this story is YA Urban Fantasy at its best and most ominous.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating⇢ 3½ STARS
Plot⇢ 5/5
Characters⇢ 4.7/5
The Feels⇢ 4.5/5
Pacing⇢ 5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 4.5/5
World-Building⇢ 5+/5
Romance/Chemistry⇢ 5/5
Ending⇢ 5/5
⇢ 4½✰STARS✰
⤏ GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS #1
⤏ WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU COMMIT SUICIDE
⤏ A VERSION OF HELL...
⤏ YA URBAN FANTASY
⤏ WITH A SPLASH OF ROMANCE
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 10 HOURS, 41 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON AUDIBLE
MY THOUGHTS⇣
Re-read/listen on Audio...the narration by Amy McFadden was not great...it was not only robotic-sounding but rather cheesy at times...and I know she has improved since this book came out because normally I'm okay with her narration. While not the greatest narration I've heard...it's not the worse either and I'm still glad I gave this a try on audio. I've docked a half star, though, for my rating, due to the narration.
From my original review of the eBook...Definitely, something different, I really liked this imaginative story. This is unlike anything I ever read before and in a good way. It has a kick-ass heroine and a very likable hero. It still holds true today and also I would add this is a great start to a series that I really enjoyed overall and while the second and third books don't hold a candle to the wonderment that this book has...they still complete the series really well. With a dark, insidious setting, in the murky depths of hell...this story is YA Urban Fantasy at its best and most ominous.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating⇢ 3½ STARS
Plot⇢ 5/5
Characters⇢ 4.7/5
The Feels⇢ 4.5/5
Pacing⇢ 5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 4.5/5
World-Building⇢ 5+/5
Romance/Chemistry⇢ 5/5
Ending⇢ 5/5
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