#BookReview: The Sigil: A Novel by Shakeil Kanish, Larissa Mandeville

Synopsis: Lake:
Lake Smithson has everything a boy like him could ever want. Loving, adoptive parents and a brother who feels like his other half. So why does something inside him yearn for more? Fate has other plans for him. A tragic event obliterates his world, forcing him to find a reason to go on. His obsession to find the answers makes him question everything he has ever known and thrust him into a world that has hidden in plain sight for centuries.

Nova:
Nova Rathers has always been looked down upon by those who are ‘gifted’. Determined to prove she can be more than her circumstances, she struggles to find a way to make a name for herself. Until an uninvited visitor makes their way to her world, setting off a chain reaction of events that go against her entire way of life. Leading her to make choices that could tear apart everything her people worked so hard to keep secret.

Joined by new friends, Lake and Nova attempt to piece together mysterious clues about what’s happening. Unfortunately, their hunt might lead them to something even more sinister. Something that could destroy everything that they have left.



Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: 4 Stars
My Review: I think the one thing this book has going for it is the world building. It comes alive on the page and becomes a part of you.  This story was fantastic and readers both apart of the LGBT community and those that are not are going to love this one!

Review

           Here's what the critics are saying so far!!

• There is a great number of LGBTQ+ books that focus only on that issue and set it in contemporary, non-speculative times, so it is truly wonderful to see genre fiction becoming as inclusive and rich as this. Author duo Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville hit the nail on the head for characterization, with such unique voices in Lake and Nova that they feel as though they've become personal friends to the reader by the end of the novel. The work is conceptually strong with excellent worldbuilding to make the magical elements feel realistic and never cheesy. I also loved the dialogue for its age-authentic representation of the protagonists, and the atmospheric lexical choices of the authors immerse us in a cinematically described world to complete the package. Overall, The Sigil is essentially a perfect read for magic and fantasy fans: everything you could hope for in a modern fantasy novel.

• Very interesting and well-written, The Sigil: A Novel by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville is an incredible novel and I believe it will be enjoyed by readers of all ages. You can easily find little pieces of yourself in Lake and Nova; they are universal characters that make you feel comfortable and understood. They wear their hearts on their sleeves; they make you understand them on a personal level and you cannot help but cheer them on. I was invested in their stories, I needed to know more about them and I absolutely enjoyed their reactions. They make a great team too; they aren't the most compatible but somehow they work really well together. The plot is amazing and it flows well. I hope the authors are planning on making this a series because this is a great story.

• Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville's The Sigil is a gripping urban fantasy suitable for new adults and older. In places, this well-devised novel reminded me of a cross between the TV series the Magicians, and Earthsea. Lake, a boy unaware of magic's reality, is taken to a secret school for those who have the necessary genes to use faeri. Through his first-person perspective, coupled with Nova's, the reader is thrust into an imaginative world of magic, mayhem, and danger. Within this escalating plot is also a tale of friendship and healing, deception and betrayal. The characters are well created, with deep, unique, and vivid personalities. There are scenes that will move you to tears, and surprises in store that will leave you amazed. Whimsical, magical, and moving, The Sigil will appeal to a wide range of fantasy lovers, especially those who enjoy character-driven plots.

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Posted in: 4 Stars, Adult, Netgalley, Review