Actual rating: 4.5 
 The Guards of the Shadowlands trilogy only really came onto my radar around the time the third and final book was about to be released. I'm not sure why I didn't really notice this series, since it also had stellar reviews, but I'm really glad I did because Sanctum was an absolute delight to read! 
 The vibes I got right away from this book were ones very similar to the Angelfall series by Susan Ee, which just happens to be one of my favorites. The story is incredibly dark, there's a heroine who's kickass and super strong, in spite of the struggles that she's had to deal with over the course of her life, and there's a boy who's a swoony, sexy alpha male with a tortured soul. 
 Lela is a fantastic character to follow and she undergoes an incredible transformation throughout the book that made me so damn proud of her. She's had to deal with some really awful things in her life but she battles and pushes back and doesn't take crap from anyone. Her love for her best friend, Nadia, is really something to be admired, considering she was willing to risk her eternal afterlife for her. Malachi is also everything I could ask for in a love interest. The chemistry he has with Lela is obvious from the first time they meet and it only gets stronger from there. I love how much he respects what she says and what she can do. He is such a compliment to who she is as a character, and they really bring out the best in each other. 
 The premise is a really unique one and I appreciate the world Sarah Fine has built. Her way of writing is magnificent and detailed and I look forward to seeing how she expands everything in the next books. 
 The only issue I had was with Nadia. I really struggled with the fact that Nadia was supposed to be this really special character worth going into the Shadowlands for. Given the fact that the reason Lela even goes everything was to save her, I really should have felt for her more. But I didn't. I understand that she made Lela stronger and feel loved but she was placed on such a high pedestal that I couldn't connect with. I had to keep pushing these thoughts to the back of my mind while reading, but luckily Lela and Malachi and the events taking place were easily able to keep me distracted. 
 Other than that small issue, I really enjoyed reading Sanctum. I think it's going to be an amazing series and I can't wait to read the next two books, which I conveniently already have sitting on my shelves!