About

Sanctuary is the third book in the Manifestation series written by Samuel Hinton.

Sanctuary book cover

Blurb

Bridges have been burnt, and Raysha needs out.

So with the opportunity to travel and leave Darius behind, she jumps at the change and drags the Misfits along with her. Tension is rising between the nations of Erasted and Nhami, and problems plague the border towns. And through it all winds one question she cares about above all others. Why are spirits being hunted? And how can she find a way to protect them, and strike down those who dare try and harvest their hearts.

Review

This time I couldn't reread the earlier book as preparation. Still, I skim-read the starting few chapters and went through my chapter-wise notes for the second book. The short summaries at the start of the third book helped as well.

Overall, this was another good entry. It was similar to the first book's plotting style — travel, training, fights and some mysteries uncovered. And of course, plenty of banter and slice-of-life scenes. It'd have been better if Shirin could've joined as well. And Octavian only got a few scenes. However, that'd likely change in the next book and I'm also looking forward to the return of Hlaya!

I especially enjoyed Raysha and Xora helping each other and progressing further. Vashi and Leyli pitching in with suggestions were great and Kardan continued to be the punching bag for the jokes. Qaeldicras made a huge impression. The details about the magic system and the different ways to shape individual preferences were done well. Wasn't a fan of the sub-plot with Miskar and the one with the brigands was a tad too gruesome for my tastes.

At the end of the second book, we only had a vague clue that the team would be leaving the academy. There's a much clearer picture this time around, and it promises plenty of intriguing revelations and action scenes.

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟☆

What others are saying

From Shil's review on goodreads:

In my opinion, this is the best entry in an already excellent series. Characters and the interactions between them remain the best part. All characters feel fully fleshed out and distinct, as well as consistent and interesting. Interactions between them are believable and relevant. The progression aspect of this book is the best in the series. It is crunchy enough to be meaningful and satisfying, but does not feel too detailed and cumbersome. The fight scenes also remain believable, showing that Raysha is really an inexperienced fighter with a couple of huge advantages and not some once-in-a-millennium genius that steamrolls everyone at her level. I am really loving this series and can't wait for the next one.