Review: Sanctuary

Sanctuary by Caryn Lix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon Pulse and Caryn Lix for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Rating 4.5 stars.

Okay, so I was soooo into this book that I didn’t notice I was reaching the end. And there had better be a sequel because I had no idea the book was ending. I mean, come on, give a girl a head’s up! I literally thought I was missing chapters. I thought, hmmm I have an ARC where the author actually forgot to include the ending. But nope, that’s the ending I’m stuck with until Caryn Lix decides to write another book.

I knew it was great from the first sentence, first page, first chapter. I was reading something else when I received the ARC and I was so excited I would read a sentence here or there, a paragraph if I was lucky and then I would get pulled away. But it stuck with me and I couldn’t wait until I could just sink my teeth into it.

Here we have Kenzie, an Omnistellar company girl who tows the line. She is part of a team that includes both her parents and a small number of guards that protect the safety of a prison that houses humans with extra special powers. Not just any humans, but this prison is full of kids. Aliens visited Earth and when they left certain people were left with special powers. For those who abused their powers they were sent to a prison housed on a planet. Adults on one prison planet and kids on another. Both of Kenzie’s parents have brought her up to respect the company, be loyal and appreciate the life that working for the company has afforded them. Kenzie is a little lost because her parents are getting a divorce and her dad is returning to Earth. Her mother is especially strict and when they are at work, very impersonal. Kenzie is now a junior guard and the company expects a lot from their employees, including, if necessary, putting their life on the line. I mean, all of these kids are criminals. They have abused their powers, endangered humans, had a trial and were sentenced to serve until they are eighteen years of age. A safety drill turns into a prison break and Kenzie is taken hostage. They need her to help them break out and get off this planet. Kenzie starts to realize that not all is as it seems. Maybe the company hasn’t been as fair to these kids as she thought. They certainly weren’t these animals intent on hurting humans as she was led to believe. How much of a hardened criminal can a 9 year old be? Yes, their powers can be scary but soon Kenzie’s whole world starts to turn upside down as she begins to bond with them. Especially their leader Cage. It’s not only his super speed that is making her heart race. But getting off the planet becomes a real priority as they learn that they are not alone. There is something far more sinister and far more alien that is hunting them down.

In case I didn’t make it obvious I loved this book. The action was exciting, the monster scary and alien. The world that Lix created was so interesting. Why did the aliens visit Earth? Why did the leave people with powers? We never get to know much about the alien story. I assume we will get to know more in the upcoming books. But there is enough juicy bits that I want to know it all. And the powers that people have. They fly, they read minds, they meld with computers, they are invisible and they are fast like The Flash. I loved all of the characters, their relationships and their interrelationships. Yes, Kenzie and Cage! What a sweet romance. But I wanted to know more about all of them, their backstories, all of it. Kenzie is a strong female lead. She is smart, strong and arc of learning that the world is never as simple as it seems is handled so well. Don’t become too attached - characters will die so stay on your toes. This is making it into my classroom library because I think kids will love it. There wasn’t much I didn’t love except the ending. It was so abrupt it was like finishing in the middle of a sentence. Even if there are sequels shouldn’t you close off the first book? It just was a little unsatisfying, but I still can’t wait for the next book.

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