Just buy it and read it – you’ll love it…

Sanctuary opens humorously, with mysteriously missing Christmas cookies and eggnog. Although the protagonist, Roman, explains to us in detail why Santa can’t exist, perhaps he really does, and has made an unexpected visit? (Sadly for St. Nick fans, the explanation is more prosaic…)

Things escalate quickly, however, when a teenage boy, Finn, is found by Roman’s pet critters, the nechist, and asks for sanctuary. Although Roman states at the time that he’s not a Catholic priest, he also notes that asking for sanctuary implies that there is someone chasing you. And sure enough, there are lots of people after Finn, each group nastier than the one before. Luckily, although Roman isn’t a Catholic cleric, he IS the Black Volhv, the priest of Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death. So he’s pretty tough, and it turns out Finn has a bit of power too.

Sanctuary isn’t just about sanctuary, though. There’s the not-so-small matter of the marital tiff between Chernobog and his wife, the goddess Morena. Although they say you never really know what’s going on inside someone else’s marriage, somehow Roman has unwillingly ended up in the middle of that too. His past isn’t a piece of cake either. And then, of course, there’s the fierce and gorgeous Vasylisa…

Technically, Sanctuary, the first in the new Roman’s Chronicles series, is set in the authors’ Kate Daniels world, which is already pretty well developed. But Sanctuary is a very different take on the back-story of that world – much more Slavic/Norse/Pagan than Mesopotamian/Babylonian. So you can easily enjoy Sanctuary even if it has been a long time since you picked up a Kate Daniels book. Or even if you’ve never picked up a Kate Daniels book! There are a few Easter eggs scattered here-and-there for Ilona Andrews aficionados, but nothing that impacts the main story. As always, the authors do a great job of filling in necessary background so subtly that it’s virtually unnoticeable. And if you want even more, there’s a lot of additional info in the back of the book as well.

Finally, I have been amused to find that at some points during Sanctuary, I very much appreciated Timothy Snyder’s Yale web course on Ukrainian history that I watched a while back with my husband. For example, when, towards the end of the book, the authors describe the Vasylisa’s sword as looking like “something that came out of Kievan Russ burial grounds, an artifact from 1,200 years ago, when the Varangian army of Viking mercenaries clashed with Khazars over the control of the fertile Eurasian plains”, I was able to nod my head sagely, and say, “Of course I knew that the Vikings came down the Dnieper river to capture Kiev and establish Kievan Russ. And that they fought more than a battle or two in the process. That was in the sixth lecture…” Which simply highlights the huge amount of effort the author duo of Ilona Andrews put into realistic backgrounds for their stories. Which is something I, for one, really, really appreciate.

Sanctuary is available July 30, and my thanks to the authors, NYLA, and Net Galley for the review copy.

I had the pleasure of reading this book as a serial before it reached this book form, and it didn't change all that much. A bit more was added to tie it all together and an extra chapter and small bonus story was added. DO NOT read them before rereading the rest of the book, though. Their origins were one of the threads that was woven back through the serial.

Ilona Andrews never disappoints.

As a member of the Book Devouring Hoard (TM), in a little biased when it comes to Ilona Andrews books. Nevertheless I do try to be honest when it comes to reviews of her books; there have been books she’s written I've liked more than other and times where I felt the main character wasn’t as compelling as a previous character. Specifically because they aren’t dealing with the kind of adversity I’ve come to expect of IA heroines.

This wasn’t the case for Sanctuary. I LOVED getting Roman’s POV. He was witty and pragmatic and the best hero of darkness the world never knew it needed. Getting his POV felt like eating a familiar home cooked meal but made in a new way.. I loved finding out his backstory and his descent (ascent) as the Chernobog’s volv. I loved watching his interactions with the little monster babies. Plus, I love that he finally has a romantic interest and the backstory between them promises to bring forth a fun time in the future. I feel so lucky that I got to enjoy this for the first time (twice)—as an arc and during the serial. I can’t wait until the next book in the KD universe and Maggie when she finally gets published.

As a reader of the Kate Daniel series and Roman fan, Sanctuary was delightful. Anyone wishing for a little more of their favorite volhv, look no further.

Ilona Daniels does a skillful job of making characters relatable..

Ugh. The glamour of the job. So much glamour.

“You joke a lot,” Finn said.
“I do. Helps with the darkness.”

The character saves creatures and people. He’s got problems and family drama. A past. Has made mistakes. Wields magic and kicks butt.

Sanctuary is a fun, quick read.

Excellent book.
I won an advanced copy.

Roman just wants to enjoy his holiday (misery) by his lonesome. This is not his favorite time of year. With his critters to keep him company he can enjoy his cookies and eggnog in peace.

Finn is brought to his attention, in a unique way, by Roman’s critters. At first, Finn does not say much, but Roman has a feeling… Finn is running from something, someone. Maybe a few someone’s.

Saying more would give too much away. Epic battles, a plot twist or two, surprises, good and bad, epic plot, and a good ending. Snark too. I do love Roman. Good character.

Very good book

You could have told me Ilona Andrews was going to write the copy on the back of a milk carton, and I would have happily read it. BUT! Instead they wrote an amazing story about one of my favorite side characters from the Kate Daniels World, Roman the Black Volhv. 💖 I had followed the weekly serial they posted to their blog and was thrilled to see some of the "bones" of the original. I adored how they punched it up to make it even better. If you are part of the Book Devouring Horde (BDH), you don't need to be convinced to read it. Everyone else though? Read any book by Ilona Andrews and thank me later.

Roman, a black Volve preist, gives sanctuary to a hurt teenage boy. I loved the defensive magic as the hunters try to get to the boy. Satisfied my vengeful heart big time. A free serial from their website, Ilona and Gordon never fail to give us a great story!

Imagine this. You're home for the holidays, sorting out the final trimmings for the best meal of the year. But just when you thought it was safe to relax and enjoy your Christmas, Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death, decides he needs something doing. Immediately. So he sends a dream request with no get out clause. We've all had bosses like it - no boundaries and can't take no for an answer. On top of that, a child, bloody and near death, rocks up asking for sanctuary, with elite mercenaries and a catastrophically powerful priest hot on his tail. The whole situation reads like disaster - now, nobody gets to eat turkey and perhaps even worse, they might actually die. A rubbish outcome all round.

For Roman, a classic homebody (read: recluse with no desire to see or speak to people), this means a Christmas break gone completely to hell. But like any proud homeowner, he is more than prepared to defend his space, and everyone in it, from bad guys. Especially when they turn up with very bad attitudes and suspicious reasons for wanting to 'take the child home to his parents'. Yeah right. We know how this works. And so does Roman. If you know anything about him from the Kate Daniels books, you know he has a bit of an attitude himself. More than enough to take on some jumped up soldiers, he's the Black Volhv after all. What follows is a bloody and inventive exploration of the kind of powers that we haven't really seen from him in the main series, alongside a heavy dose of Slavic folklore. Roman's got the kind of witty sarcasm and heart of gold that makes Kate such an appealing character and he's just as likely to collect strays as her - in this case a selection of weird creatures who I pictured as witchy cat familiars regardless of their description. I'm all about the wish fulfilment. We also get to experience a variety of completely different types of magic, each with its own deadly potential. The fight sequences are high tension with genuine consequences and some suitably gruesome deaths. Chernobog would be best pleased.

I didn't read the serial, just the finished product, so I have no idea how it compares to what people have seen before, but this was an entertaining tale with a protagonist interesting enough to carry the load. No, it's not the same at the main novels, but it's a great expansionist piece, worthy to be part of the world and offering a look at one of the characters who so far hasn't had enough screen time. The ending leaves the possibility of more to come and I'll be there for it, just as I am for everything in this world.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

A novella, in the Kate Daniel's series that is about Roman.
Even though this was a serial online, in book form, the rough edges are smoothed over and the storyline is more concise.
There is also a bonus story, never read before.

4 stars - It was really good

Roman wants nothing more than to be left alone during the holiday, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard begging for sanctuary, he takes him in. Now mercenaries and priests are attacking his property trying to get the boy, but they don’t realize they are messing with the Black Volhv.

Roman has been a character that I have been interested in learning more about since he was introduced in the Kate Daniels series. He is the Black Volhv, serving Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death. In the Kate Daniels series we see Roman be a confident man who wields fascinating magic in the name of his God, but in this we see a different side of him. He isn’t all confident but instead struggling with the trauma of his past that reignites itself every holiday season. I like that we are finally getting to see more of Roman’s personality and backstory.

Roman fights to protect a kid and his dog from mercenaries and priests. The battle was fantastic because we got to see all different kinds of things that Roman can do and what these new priests can do as well. It was an action packed story with some great magical fights. Finn may be a kid but he was a cool character who fought back when he knew he would probably fail. His sister Androa was a badass and I really want to know more about her abilities and duties to the Gods now.

Overall, this was a great new spin-off series and I can’t wait to read more about Roman’s adventures, especially with all his cute sounding critters. Also I really hope we see more of Finn and his sister Andora in future books because they were cool side characters.

TW: death, gore; brief mention of past bullying;

This is what I would call a longish short story. It involves Roman from the Kate Daniels series. I am a fan of Ilona Andrews’ other series but not so much the Kate Daniels world. This book is very deep in a mash up of pagan concepts and verbiage. I am a pagan myself and found it a lot to wade through. The sparkle of character won me over as the action unfolded. The story was a one sitting read for me. I think Kate Daniels fans will love this but of extra insight on Roman. It was a clever story and I’m glad I read it.

Finally Roman's story! This was a delight - we got to see what makes him tick beyond the one liners and wisecracks, this provided so much context to his character in addition to his supporting role in the Kate POV books. I also loved learning about the nav and Slavic/pagan mythology (because it's not as accessible as the traditional Greek/Roman myths we grow up with in the states.) genuinely hope the authors can return to him as time permits because Roman is so fun and brings a unique perspective to the already well established post shift world in Atlanta.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

First of all, I need to say that I love Ilona Andrews. I have loved all of the things they have written that I have read (which I would estimate is about 90% of their stuff). Since the moment he was introduced in the Kate Daniels series, I loved Roman. I'm so glad to finally get more of him.
This novella is thick with mythology and lore, and I loved it. The little monsters, the new characters, the action, and the glimpses of Roman's past. Loved it all. I just want more.
If you love the Kate Daniels series and world, definitely give this one a read.

On Goodreads

Readers of Ilona Andrews Magic series with Kate Daniels will already have met Roman, a Slavic volhv or priest to the dark god Chernobog. Don't worry if you haven't. This novella reads fine as a stand alone and Roman is a good guy despite the misinformation. I thoroughly enjoyed this story into both Roman's family background or whether and how he would save the teenager who asked for his help. The creatures who share Roman's cottage in the woods aren't cute but they sort are too if you like biting pesky critters. The run ins with the bad guys are effective too.

Warning - you will probably have more questions after reading this, like is there a romance in store? We'd hope for Roman to get there but that isn't shown here.

Thanks #NetGalley for the ARC of #Sanctuary. As a long time fan of Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series I was keen to read, and re-read this good addition to the series.

Yah! The long awaited book with Roman. :) A short stroy about Roman, the priest who serves Chernobog, the God of Destruction. He wants to help a wounded boy who stumbles into his yard and ends up with more trouble...

Love this world... Roman is a fascinating character. Love his sense of humour. I still can't get over how he was the wedding planner for Kate in the earlier book.... He's the main character here and he is fantastic. :)

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Sanctuary is a novella set in the Kate Daniels universe, a future Atlanta where magic and technology coincide and old powers have woken. Sancuary focuses on Roman, a fan favorite as a volvh of Chernobog. In this installment he give a boy and his dog sanctuary and ends put putting to rest one of the things he has carried with him for a long time.

It was very fun to get a story from Roman's POV, meet his menagerie of slavic creatures and gremlins, and learn more about his past and family. Fans of the series and world will enjoy it a lot, but it isn't the best starting point for new readers to the world. But a great fun and holiday-themed story. This story was previously published (most of it) on the author's blog in installments and has been edited and slightly expanded. We also get a little bonus short story at the end that ties into the novella's main events.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this arc.

I enjoyed the KD series and now Roman has his own novella. We get to see his trusty staff with the bird called Klyuv in action. Roman helps a young wounded boy, Finn and his dog after the boy asked for sanctuary. So Roman adds them to his collections of mystical strange collection.
Once this story started going it does not slow down with battles with a warrior-mage, priests and mercenaries. Very entertaining until the end.

Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews
Roman’s book! Hooray! Don't let the BDH lead you astray, you can read Sanctuary as a standalone.

Sanctuary takes place during the winter holidays. We get a fantastical overview of Slavic Gods and Traditions. Remember, this is a fantasy book. The authors get to be creative. And I love that!

I adore the nechist. The menagerie that Roman takes care of says so much about his character.

This story has it all! Fantasy, action, magic, dreams, visions, creatures. House Andrews gives us amazing stories that the BDH inhales, and immediately wants more. I would love another Roman story, and I will wait patiently for it.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A new novella from Ilona Andrews, Sanctuary tells a story about Roman, from the Kate Daniels series. It is December 23rd and all Roman wants to do is eat some cookies (homemade) and drink some eggnog. Instead he finds himself giving sanctuary to a boy, Finn, and his puppy and fighting off a team of mercenaries determined to take the boy from Roman's home. Roman has also been chosen by Chernobog to help mend Chernobog's marriage to the Goddess Morena. Read Sanctuary to find out what else happens with Roman and Finn.. I would highly recommend this book. I received an e-arc from NetGalley.

My Thoughts

The word "sanctuary" has multiple meanings, including a sacred place, a place of safety, or a refuge for wildlife.

In this story the word has been used by a teen boy who is being hunted down in the beginning of the book.

What happens once he is under the protection of Roman is quite a bit more than he anticipated but exactly what fans of magic and mythology waited for.

Unlike many other fans who follow the authors blog I did not read the serialized version but instead opted to wait.

While it has been forever since being introduced to the Black Volhv, seen by many as a minor character now given the leading role for his own series’, I feel Roman has proven himself able to transition from one to the other.

Like it or not when we are given the gift of reading about a character’s past and how they have grown into an adult whose reputation does not begin to live up to their actual capabilities, one dives right in.

Filled with bursts of action, a lot of lore and some of the oddest assortments of creatures that were also given Sanctuary by Roman over the years he has lived out in his current home.

Very short but lots of information to digest while waiting to see where the authors take us next in this series.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.