The year is 2032 and Vali, a high schooler and immigrant from Colombia is struggling to keep a low profile in Vermont. This is hard to do in this dystopian version of America where everyone has been microchipped so that they can prove that they didn’t illegally enter the country. The story starts violently, with Vali and her family watching a livestream from the dark web showing a girl attempting to cross the border from Mexico into San Diego and being blown up by a landmine. This seems to kick off the government’s decision to crack down even further. A deportation force is created and their threatening presence is everywhere. When the other workers at Vali’s mother’s farm are taken away, Mami decides that it is time for them to run.

The urgent pace that begins at the very start of the book is maintained throughout. There are not a lot of moments where Vali and her brother get to catch their breath and they seem to move from one horrible situation to an even more unimaginable one. It is definitely a survival novel but one that is made even more chilling because readers can imagine that our current political situation is sending us down this dark path.

There’s a lot of action events in this book, which make it one that is hard to put down. It compares well to other political action novels that have been written recently, including “Internment” by Samira Ahmed and “Verity” by Joelle Charbonneau.

The Hunger Games may have kicked off a resurgence of dystopian fiction in YA, but books like Sanctuary are altogether more chilling in my opinion. Where many dystopian novels take place in a world that isn’t our own, or so far into the future that they jump over the precipitating event that caused the restructuring of society, Sanctuary joins the growing ranks of novels that ask where could we be tomorrow? In ten years? What happens when we don’t call our leaders to account for racist nationalist policies?

When a fifteen year old girl is blown up by a landmine while trying to cross the southern border of the United States, the repercussions are vast and intensely personal for Vali and her family. Her younger brother, Ernie, was born in the United States, but their mother, father, and Vali all came from Colombia a few years before his birth. Vali’s father was detained and deported to his death years ago, and her mother has been the family’s superhero ever since, keeping them safe. But now there’s a new branch of ICE: the Deportation Force, or DF. They don’t have to follow any of the basic rules of law, and they are charged with “cleaning up” the country. When raids start in their town, Vali’s mother prepares her children to run. Before they are able to get far, she is captured by DF officers, and Vali is left to get both herself and Ernie from Vermont to the newly declared country of California, where sanctuary is offered to all undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

I highly recommend this book, and think it pairs well with Internment by Samira Ahmed. It’s heavy and intense, but worth it. There are bleak moments, but overall the message is one of hope, and a call to action: we can do better, we can be better, and we don’t have to wait for another day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Sanctuary is set in a dystopian future. This setting is a bit more terrifying than your typical novel of this kind, because it seems all too close to reality. Like something that could actually happen.

Vali, her Mami, and Papi escaped the dangers of their homeland and entered the U.S. as illegal immigrants. Prior to the book’s timeline her Papi was arrested by ice, returned to Columbia, and killed. Now Mami works very hard to keep food on the table and and keep their immigration status hidden. In Vali’s world, all U.S. citizens are microchipped, and those chips could be scanned at any time by militant enforcers. When a huge crackdown on illegal immigration is instituted, Vali and her family are forced to run.

This book is gut wrenching. It is a terrifying near future dystopian novel set in 2032 where a wall has been put up between the US and Mexico. The US government has a leader set on eliminating all undocumented immigrants. Going so far as throwing people in concentration camps, separating families, and murdering people. Our main character Vali is undocumented as well as her parents, and when her and Ernie, her eight year old brother, are separated from them, they have to journey across the country by foot in the hopes for sanctuary. Everyone has an ID chip implanted in their wrists and Vali's fake one won't last her much longer. I felt for Vali and her brother deeply. I was so invested in what was happening to them and I was rooting so hard for them the entire book. The scariest part about this book is how possible this reality truly feels. This could really happen if the country continues to go in the direction that it is. It is such an important novel that sheds light on the terror that undocumented immigrants must feel in our society. I grew very attached to Vali because she amazed me with her strength. I admired how she would do absolutely anything for her brother. She reminded me a bit of one of my favorite characters, Katniss Everdeen, because of that quality of fierce love for her sibling. I definitely think this book should be picked up when it comes out September 1st! While it isn't necessarily an "enjoyable" read since it is such a heartbreaking story, it is undeniably a page turner. It didn't end up giving me that full five star feeling, but it was still a great book!

Set in the not too distant future, this engrossing story imagines a dystopian state in which only legal citizens of the United States can live within its borders. High school student and undocumented Guatemalan immigrant, Valentina, lives with her mother and brother in Vermont after her father is detained and taken to an undisclosed location. Everyone is required to wear a chip that is tracked and scanned everywhere to verify citizenship. Her mother’s counterfeit chip malfunctions and she is also detained. Valeria takes her little brother and runs to find sanctuary with her aunt in California, which as seceded from the US. Their grueling, dangerous trip across the country demonstrates the human courage and strength needed for survival.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for review.

My heart is going to need a bit of time to recover after reading. So powerful and so easy to forget this is supposed to be in the dystopian future.

In 2032, every American citizen is tracked by microchip. For a hefty sum, undocumented immigrants can get fake-chips, but those don't always work and when there are upgrades, the fake chips don't work. Vali and her brother, Ernie, live with their mother in Vermont. But when things become dangerous, they leave for safety in New York. When their mother is detained, Vali and Ernie must make the trek to New York themselves.

Hiding in New York cannot be the end. True sanctuary is only in the succeeded country of California, and the President is in the process of building a wall to block entry. Hiring a coyote to get them from New York to California, Vali and Ernie struggle with others to make the trip. But not all will make it.

My pulse raced as I read through this book. Adventure elements run throughout. More disturbing was most times I forgot I was reading a dystopian novel. There are just too many things ringing true to 2020 in this book. Recognizing the trauma of immigrants coming to America from the south; suffering, abuse, rape, starvation it is easy to see how the same could happen in our own country if what is happening now continues.

Recommended for more mature middle schoolers and up. Would be great class discussion on what is fact, what is fiction, and which fiction could easily become fact.

YA Futuristic Dystopian. Vali came to the United States with her parents at a very young age, but her younger brother, Ernie, was born there so was a citizen. The futuristic United States had placed chips in its citizens leaving immigrants to be captured by federal officers who don't mind beating or killing and drones that can carry the illegals in steel nets. Vali's dad was able to purchase counterfeit chips in her and her mother which work for now. So when the President announced additional measures against immigrants, Vali's family goes on the run, hoping for Sanctuary, wherever that may be--no matter what it takes.

Sanctuary hits very close to home--people are kept in cages, the government can abduct those without the proper chip at any time, and it's hard to know who to trust. In this dystopian version of the future, everyone has a microchip implanted in their arm and is scanned throughout the day.

Vali and her brother Ernie have a good life with their Mami in Vermont, but as the government cracks down on those without the proper documentation in their microchips, they must flee. What comes out of this is a heart breaking quest to California, where there is a sanctuary state emerging.

Vali will do anything to protect her brother, including lying to him about what they see and what they need to do to get to California. Her love for him helps drive her forward.

Sanctuary is intense, quick=paced, and well worth a read.

Vali lives with her mother and brother Ernesto in Vermont. In 2032 everyone is implanted with a chip to ensure that only legal residents remain in the U.S. Ernesto’s chip is legal. He was born here. Vali and her mom have counterfeit chips. When the chip system is upgraded, there are violent immigration enforcement raids. Vali and her family set out for California in hopes of joining her aunt. The tale of their journey is emotional, gripping, and feels far too close to reality. There are so many parallels to what has been happening with undocumented immigrants that I finished reading with the feeling that we are not far from this dystopia. I will be recommending this book to my high school students and staff.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

In the not-too-distant future of 2032, the United States has become an Autocracy. The President has been elected for a third term, and only government-approved news, movies or shows are allowed. Citizens have had chips implanted for admittance to everything in the country. The Great American Wall has been erected, and Deportation Forces have been empowered to enter homes or businesses, at any time, without warrants, to arrest anyone illegally in the country.

Fifteen-year-old Valentina González Ramirez was just four years old when her parents brought her to San Diego, fleeing violence in Colombia. After a few years her father was deported and killed. With even more restrictions in place, they had to leave Tía Luna behind and moved to Vermont with her little brother Ernesto who had been born in San Diego. Her mom bought fake chips so she could work and Vali could go to school, while Ernie’s chip came legally.

When Deportation Forces became even more violent Vali’s mom planned to escape to California, which had declared itself a Sanctuary City. In retaliation the President began to build walls around it, sent soldiers to guard the perimeter, and declared that anyone entering it would be arrested. Soon Vali’s mom is arrested by Deportation Forces, and it’s up to Vali to get herself and her little brother safely across the country. California is their only hope.

I had to put down this book multiple times because there were too many realistic things happening to Vali and to our country that reminded me of the current state of our President and our nation. Its true-to-life events reminded me of the need to use our vote wisely in November’s Presidential elections, or be forewarned that our country will go down the same bleak path as what’s described in “Sanctuary.”

Keep an eye on this book for a possible Pura Belpré Award, now that YALSA is part of the committee.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book about a young illegal immigrant and her brother in the "near future" is a harrowing tale about the government rounding up all illegal immigrants. All legal people are implanted with an ID chip. If a person is stopped and when scanned, are found to not have an identity chip, they are violently arrested. Of course, someone has found a way to make counterfeit chips, which almost always malfunction. Vali and her mother have counterfeit chips. Her brother does not. When her mother's chip malfunctions they are separated. Vali and her brother have to get to safety. This is the story of their trials and tribulations. A good read even if it is politicized.

This realistic dystopian was gripping. My desperation for each character to make it to safety was palpable. I am haunted by the fictional losses because I know they represent so many people we have lost because of racist, anti-life policies. I am blown away by the authors ability to create such a realistic story, as frightening as that realism is. I want another book, perhaps from the little brother's perspective. I do not want to leave these characters behind.

A frighteningly possible dystopian novel with a strong female protagonist. In a not so distant future citizens have been embedded with identity chips and the war on illegal immigrants has intensified into genocidal proportions. After their mother's forged identity chip fails at a checkpoint, Vali has no choice but to continue on and get her little brother to safety--the sanctuary state, California. Well written and highly plausible.

Sanctuary is an engaging book of mixed genres. On one hand, it's an excellent piece of Latino literature. On the other, it shares many qualities with classic dystopian novels. The story takes place in the not-too-distant future. The President of the United States is a xenophobic patriot who blames the Country's problems on undocumented immigrants and builds a wall to stop the flow of illegal aliens into the United States. In this new U.S., citizens are microchipped at birth and can be scanned at any time to verify citizenship. ICE raids are common and a new "Deportation Force", with almost unlimited powers, whisks undocumented immigrants away.

Vali, the teenage heroine of this story, is an undocumented immigrant who survives with the help of a black-market microchip. As incidents of violence increase, her Mami decides to take Vali and a younger brother to the Sanctuary state of California (which has seceded from the rest of the Country). Vali's family leaves their home in Vermont late one night. It is a long, dangerous journey full of pain and loss- and Vali will never be the same.

Sanctuary is so riveting because, unlike many dystopian novels, it seems like it COULD happen. Fans of this novel will be excited to note that the conclusion is open-ended, hinting at a possible sequel in the future.

Beautiful, haunting, and relevant are the best words to describe this book. It's extremely pertinent in these times, and is a heavy topic that deserves attention. Well worth a read.