[Portia’s Review] Sanctum (Blackwater Pack #1) by Hannah McBride

A survivor on the run

Barely escaping with her life, Skye Markham and her mother flee their sadistic pack and seek sanctuary within Blackwater. Against all odds, Skye tries to create a new life for herself. A life she thought only existed in dreams is now within reach.

An alpha with a pack to protect

Remy Holt has spent years guarding his pack - his family - from threats as the next alpha in line. When the Blackwater pack decides to help the Markhams, Skye becomes one of his own … In more ways than one, if his wolf has anything to say about it.

A bond unlike any other

As Skye and Remy’s lives collide, the shifter world starts to implode. Missing shifters, a dying population, and pack wars are causing their sanctuary to crumble around them. Skye thought she was finally safe … but maybe there’s no such thing.

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Let me step right out and explain that I don’t have a deep well of shifter/werewolf genre knowledge to draw from. I have found very few urban fantasy or other style shifter books that I could get into. So I went into this a little bit nervous, because I wanted nothing more than to enjoy this book.

But ya’ll…. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is so good.

This novel starts off with emotional punch after punch. Skye and her mother have been though hell and things are only getting worse very quickly. We move at a fast pace in the first few chapters to escape the unimaginable, which brings the two to the Blackwater pack, far from home and into safety.

From there we meet the most AMAZING family and side characters one could want in a book. Skye is given an opportunity to start life new, feeling safe, which she had never known. She gets to go to an amazing school -which is one of my favorite things in the book actually. The way the school systems are set up separate for the shifters from the outside world, but allow for for interaction among other packs, and can go on to traditional colleges is very unique and gives us a setting I hadn’t seen before. Like a private school but with more freedom, and the ability to get to know and understand their place in the pack and the world.

Skye immediately makes friends and is welcomed into the Blackwater pack. Then of course, comes Remy. Alpha in training, all around great guy and fearless leader. SWOON. I LOVE that he wasn’t the typical tortured, tall dark and brooding guy. It was just easy to get to know him and to love him. Kind, caring, protective…. just so great. The way the relationship develops between Remy and Skye was sweet, and I love how they always just seem to be puzzle pieces fitting together, no matter where they were and what they were doing. Like a lock clicking into place. SO MUCH SWOON. Speaking of swooning, I think Rhodes might be my man, and I need him and Larkin to figure their shit out!

This book was also action packed, and it felt like something was looming around every corner. It wasn’t unnecessary drama – everything had its reason and place, that leads to bigger and badder things. This book is long, and I feel like a lot of it was setting up the world and providing much needed history and back story. There was a perfect balance of self discovery, romance, drama, and world building. And while the end of this book is not exactly a cliffhanger, it already has me nervous about what could happen in the next book! It’s hard to believe this was a debut novel, Hannah really did such an amazing job and kept me hooked right from the beginning. Can’t wait for the next!!!

Portia

Hi, I’m Portia! I’ve been an obsessive reader and pop culture addict my entire life, with a particular passion for horror and thrillers. I love being a part of the book community and can regularly be found working various book events. I’m an admin here at Ideally Inspired Reviews!

When I am not binge reading or obsessing over true crime podcasts and shows, I am a bar manager by night and a mom and wife by day. If I find any time after that, I love to travel, spend time outdoors, and fit as much live music into my life as possible. You can find me on Instagram @Ideally.Portia or TikTok @itsportiabitch.