SANCTUARY was a quick and thrilling read with Ilona Andrews’ typical blend of humor, rich background, and intriguing conflict. As a long-time fan of all things Kate Daniels, this was a great introduction to Roman’s story and excited to see where this one goes.

Thanks to NetGalley and NYLA Books for the opportunity to read and review SANCTUARY.

Another amazing adventure by the spousal writing team of Ilona and Gordon, better known as Ilona Andrews. I LOVE this short book and it is a wonderful introduction to those who don't know of the Ilona Andrews works, as well as those who are long time readers. 34-year-old Roman, the Black Volhv, just wants to spend three days of Koliada, from 24-26 December, on his own. When an unexpected and unwanted guest turns up, followed by a band of mercenaries, things get interesting. Add in Druids, the Slavic gods, another unexpected visitor or two. Well, the holidays haven't been this exciting in years. Wonderful characters, great information about Slavic traditions deftly woven into the storyline. Can't recommend this highly enough, in addition to everything Ilona Andrews has written. Enjoy!

This was a book I didn’t know I needed! I already loved Roman, and this story really fleshed him out further in ways that I promise you, I didn’t realize were missing. Seeing him in his space gave us a look at a totally different view from Kate’s Atlanta and the Keep. Learning about the damage that he sustained in his youth that is continually perpetuated really made me want to slap Evdokia the way Andrea slapped Aunt Bee!

I love the exploration of various world mythologies within this series. Read it. (Warning: a bad dog is harmed, but all good dogs prosper!)

If you are familiar with the world of Kate Daniels, you will recognize Roman! A beloved character throughout the series, I was thrilled to see him get his own book. In his story, Roman finds himself giving sanctuary to a young boy who is running from elite mercenaries. The mercenaries who then thought it was a great idea to attack his home and try to get the boy when Roman refused to give him up. Well, they are in for a rude awakening. For he is the Black Volhv and very powerful. As Roman protects the boy he will learn there is more to him than meets the eye. And everyone should be ready for the fight that is coming. Roman is definitely one of the best characters in this world. He is hilarious and sarcastic and so intriguing. I was glad to get to know him just a bit more in this story. It’s always fun diving back into this world with the different types of magic that comes across the pages. You never know what our heroes will face whenever someone comes to their doorstep. Another great book in this world!

Series Info/Source: This is the 1st book in Roman's Chronicles a spin-off series from the Kate Daniels World. I got an eGalley of this to review through NetGalley.

Thoughts: I wanted to give this four stars because I wanted to love it, but after writing this review I just can't. I didn't even really like this one, so even three stars feels high to me. I have loved so many of the Kate Daniels' books that I wonder if my expectations were too high. This book is the start of another spin-off series in the Kate Daniels world this time following Roman, a minor character from the original series that serves the God Chernobog. I was actually hoping this was a new project for them rather than yet another Kate Daniels extension.

We start off with Roman enjoying the Christmas holidays off from his godly duties...that is until a wounded boy wanders onto his property and begs sanctuary. Shortly after that, mercenaries start attacking Roman and his creatures in an effort to get to the boy.

I did not engage with this book very well. A lot of it feels like a lecture on Russian folklore/mythology rather than a good story. I also couldn't remember Roman from the original series (my husband has read the series more recently and tried to explain to me how Roman relates to everything else). Again, this may be on me...I read a lot of books and a lot of them have characters named Roman in them... Even after having my husband remind me, I only had vague inklings of the part Roman played in the original series.

This felt a bit fan fiction-like to me and not as professional as other books they have released. I am usually a huge Andrews fan and was very excited to see this was coming out. I was just completely underwhelmed by it. There are long portions of the book that were fight scenes that were hard to picture despite the huge amount of description. This was broken up by journeys to a godly dimension where dreamlike scenes took place. I did not have any connection to the characters and found all the terminology thrown at the reader made things even harder to visualize. Despite this being short, I struggled and was happy just to get through it.

I did find some of the Russian folklore intriguing, but so much is thrown at the reader at once that it feels more like an info dump than a story. I think the index should have been put at the front of the book so readers could read that before trying to dive into all this Russian terminology. It was hard to picture the creatures and follow some of the story because of this.

I can't help but sigh at the fact that this is another first book in a new Kate Daniels spin off series...are any of these series going to go anywhere? What happened to the Aurelia Ryder series and the Iron Covenant series? It would be great to get completion on one of those series before yet another spin-off series is started, and on such a minor character too. I just feel like there's no cohesion here. Which I guess...if they can sell it, then why not.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was disappointing to me. I am a huge Andrews fan and generally love everything they write. However, this book felt off to me. The writing wasn't as professional; the balance between character development, action, and story wasn't there. The way this alternates between battles and mythology info dump was jarring and had me struggling to stay engaged. Not to mention the disappointment at yet another spin-off series being started but all the other spin-off series being left unfinished.

As a fangirl of this author duo, I usually avidly follow any serials posted on their blog, and then read it again as soon as the full, edited version hits Amazon. This being 2024, I had a lot of stuff going on with my life, and a ridiculous review schedule, so I decided to wait until it hit Amazon and read it in full. I was lucky to get an ARC copy of the novella, with epilogue, and I can report that I absolutely did read it as soon as it hit my Kindle. I’m kind of glad I did wait for the full version.

This novella features Roman, servant of Chernobog, who has been a mysterious figure in the Kate Daniels world for years. When the book opens, readers meet broody Roman, holed up in his cabin, alone except for his menagerie of magical animals, mad at his god for some reason and dreading spending any of the holiday season with his family. Then he is alerted to an intruder, who turns out to be a teenage boy and his pup, who falls unconscious after claiming sanctuary.

Sanctuary kind of starts out with a bang, and then the action never lets up. Roman’s backstory slowly unfolds as he is aiding the teenage boy, Finn, while battling the bad guys who have come to take him away. I was kind of entranced with this new darker Roman, who keeps his darkness hidden from his friends, but who survived a deeply dysfunctional family and a traumatic start to his service to Chernobog.

One of the things I love most about this world that Ilona Andrews has created is how all the different religions, gods, goddesses, lore, mythology, and magical beings within it coexist. The two main Slavic gods featured in this story are so very, very messy and petty. I was absolutely fascinated by them and how they were woven into the story.

I will admit that this novella feels like a prequel to what might be a longer series featuring Roman, Finn, Finn’s sister Andora, and Roman’s menagerie of demonic pets. At least that is what I’m hoping for. If we see some interaction between him and his family, and possibly the Slavic gods at the center of this tale in the future as well, all the better.

Roman just wanted three days of peace and quiet, a few days of rest from his duties as a priest for the dark god, Chernobog. It was the holiday season, after all. But when a teenage boy stumbles into his yard and claims sanctuary, a silent night is the last thing Roman is going to get. Armed with his magic, an unexpected ally, and a menagerie of Slavic mythological creatures, Roman is going to give a handful of new enemies a holiday they will never forget.

While a fairly quick read, Sanctuary was jam-packed with action and bits of Slavic lore. I loved this little foray into a new set of stories from Ilona Andrews. Much like other series Andrews has done, Roman’s Chronicles can be read as a standalone series that happens to be set in the larger Kate Daniels world. If you’ve read the Kate Daniels books, there will be little easter eggs sprinkled throughout Sanctuary, but this novella is also a great introduction to Andrews’ magical world and would be a great way to ease into the magical dealings around Atlanta.

This story was a pretty quick read, but Andrews managed to pack a lot into this one. Readers get a great introduction to Roman himself, as well as his current situation with the Slavic God of Death and Destruction - and that’s just the beginning of the adventure. Once Finn unexpectedly falls into Roman’s hands, the action only ramps up and continues for most of the story. While Roman had Chernobog’s magic to borrow from, it’s hard to beat the help of an entire menagerie of creatures from Slavic myth. With the help of that many woodland creatures, Roman might as well be Atlanta’s version of Snow White.

I loved this first novella in Roman’s Chronicles. Roman is a bit of a scrooge who just wants a few days to himself. Of course, he got the opposite of that, but it was an exciting journey full of magic, new friends, old gods, and some interesting new ways to defend your house.

Sanctuary was a short read, but entertaining every step of the way. I loved venturing back into Kate Daniels’ world, even if Roman keeps to himself outside of Atlanta, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of Roman’s books dive deeper into - and enhance - the magical Kate Daniels world.

Sanctuary is a great starting point for the new reader to Ilona Andrews. A novella about Roman, everyone's favorite Black Volhv, complete with Eeyore slippers. Delightfully full of snark, plot, and wee evil beasties.

Book Summary:

Roman is the powerful and dangerous Black Volhv, sworn to serve the Chernobog (God of Destruction). Yet even he gets the holidays off. Well, usually. He worked hard and made a deal, getting a few days off around the winter holidays (which he'd rather avoid).

Unfortunately, his god seems to have different ideas this year. So does a wounded boy in urgent need of help. While Roman is content to ignore his god, he's less content to sit aside and watch a boy get taken (or worse). So it's time to step up and do his thing.

My Review:

To say that I was delighted when I heard the news about Sanctuary would be an understatement. I've always thought that Roman was a fun character—tortured soul, dark backstory, takes himself too seriously, the works. So, along with countless other fans, I've always secretly hoped we'd get more of his story someday.

Today is that day. Sanctuary is a relatively short adventure for Roman, but with it comes gods, a fleeing child, plenty of critters, and some personal drama. In other words, it's perfect and exactly what we fans have been hoping for.

I love the dynamics between the gods in this novel. Likewise, I really enjoyed seeing the world through Roman's eyes. He has a different way of looking at things like balance and good vs evil. This perspective made the world feel so much richer (which is a surprise, given the depth we've already been given!).

Roman's such an interesting contrast to the other perspectives we've seen thus far. In truth, I would read anything and everything that came from this world, but now I'm looking forward to more Roman.

Finally, I want to thank Ilona and Andrew Gordon for including some additional details about the gods and mythologies they pulled from for this book. I also want to thank Rossana Sasso for writing an additional essay for this novel (it's also on the blog if you're too curious to wait).

Highlights:
Urban Fantasy
Part of the Kate Daniels World
Gods & Mayhem
Life Comes Full Circle

In the Kate Daniels world, the supporting characters are often as interesting and beloved as the heroine and hero. Roman is one such character. He is everyone's favorite black volhv. He serves a dark god but has a soft, sweet heart. In this novella, Roman is struggling through a depressing holiday season. He would like nothing more than to hide out, drink egg nog and eat cookies but when an injured teen crawls into his yard and asks for sanctuary, all sorts of explosive chaos ensues.

This novella, previously serialized on Ilona Andrews blog, will delight fans. Roman is at his dark sarcastic best and learning his backstory is fascinating. As always House Andrews delivers on the magic, mythology and mayhem. While fans will certainly want to read this, it is also a great entry point into the Kate Daniel's world for new readers because the story stands alone well, introduces post-shift Atlanta and doesn't spoil the series storyline.

I enjoyed every moment of Roman's story. A must for fans and highly recommended for those who enjoy urban fantasy and well-crafted tales. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGally and NYLA for an advanced readers copy of this novella.

Roman has always been one of my favorite characters. I love his snark and banter that comes out with whoever he meets, but mainly with Kate and Curran - because whom am I kidding???

And I'm so glad I waited for the full novella instead of reading a weekly serial. It's just not the same for me. Enjoying the full story without interruptions is just what I needed today.

I really enjoyed Roman's backstory and how he became Chernobog's volhv. Loved to learn more about his fascinating and chaotic family. And his little menagerie was just the icing on the cake. Roman is such a softie 😍

Surprisingly, Sanctuary wasn't exactly what I expected.
The novella feels like the beginning of a longer story. Which I'm not mad about.....

Because Roman is a character that is fascinating in his own right, and deserves a longer story than just a novella.
I adore his signature snark. But in Sanctuary he is also a broody Roman. Which I never would have guessed of him. And I swooned at his soft heart and his collecting of beasties. Working for the gods is not an easy job, and Sanctuary gave me a bigger glimpse of how Roman feels about his work and the slavic gods in this world.

My love for this world and its characters has not diminished over the years. It's still the BEST thing since sliced bread. And finishing one book just means that I'm craving the next one, and the next one, and the next one ...

Note: I did not read the blog serial other than the first chapter way back when. This review is solely about my arc read.

This was a very interesting read because I never believed this novella would exist. I mean, I've always loved Roman as a side character but never actively *wanted* his own story either. Usually a comedic relief-type character ends up hollow if an author delves too deeply into their psyche.

The smartest thing this novella could've done is immediately break any preconception the reader held from other books. Roman is depressed and bitter, wanting no company during the winter holiday. He's very careful not to present this side to the public or friends. While I was aware that Roman held inklings of darkness, I didn't know that he hid *this* degree of misery either. It's a LOT. At first I wasn't completely on-board (selfishly, I really loved Roman's interplay with his meddling family in the main Kate Daniels series and we hardly get those funny interactions here). But as the novella went on, I was sucked into Roman's weird, deliciously twisted adventures with his witchy pets. There's a line in MAGIC BINDS where Curran says (paraphrasing), "Kate, you're like a cat lady but instead of collecting fluffy cats, you collect killers." This quote perfectly describes Roman collecting his hoard of demonic beasties. I completely lost it when [redacted animal] joined the collection after defecting from the other side. Roman may feel lonely and ostracized from his family (for very good reasons!), but he isn't without (villainous) companionship. He also gains a pretty cool pair of magical siblings tied to Slavic gods.

And whatever we missed from meddling family antics, we made up for it with the meddling Slavic gods. I am *obsessed* with the two main gods centered in this story. They are *so* petty and selfish (the tree! I could not believe the root cause of the dream request, lol). The concept of balance in Slavic traditions is really fascinating, with darkness not necessarily being "evil" as folks traditionally view it.

Excluding Sweep With Me, this is probably the closest thing IA has ever written to a holiday novella. Plus, you know, gore and man-eating scorpions and child-hunting mercenaries. It's very wintry and desolate — some might say untimely for summer, but it was a welcome respite from the heat wave.

My one note is that SANCTUARY feels like a prequel setup novella. I personally don't have a problem with this, but [redacted storyline] is unresolved and that's going to bother some people. Like, we get the Big Villain dangled in front of us and we still don't know what their deal is by the end of the novella. We also get a bunch of setup with the teenager, new friend, future love interest, and backstory explanation of Roman's family nightmare. But nothing is resolved because, well, it's clearly setting up a future book and it's too much plot for one novella. And who knows when the sequel will come out because it could be five months or five years? Just be warned. But from what I read, I really liked Roman's new found family and am looking forward to the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.