Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book was unlike anything I've read before. Very interesting and informative and I found it to be a heavy read. Not the Rom-Com I thought it would be. It will leave you with tears in your eyes when you finish it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Well, I really thought this would be a book I could relate to, given I work with the deaf-blind population. I read this book with a group and everyone in the group loved it, but it was ultimately a “do not finish” for me. I wish I could have connected with the writing or the characters…perhaps this one just hit too close to home, making it too difficult to finish.

Arlo is DeafBlind and in need of a new interpreter. Cyril is an interpreter who is floundering in his life after his boyfriend and interpreter mentor passed away. The two come together when Arlo has signed up for a college English course, and his current interpreter needs help managing the task. The two couldn't be any different, but being in such close contact sets the two into a friendship that knows no bounds. The mayhem ensues when Arlo finds out that his uncle/guardian has been lying to him for many years about his long-ago girlfriend. This is a heartwarming story of love, sacrifice, and determination. Even though it took a bit for me to get into, I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about a community that I knew nothing about. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.

The thing that strikes you from the first page, is that Arlo, one of the narrators of this story, who is both deaf and blind, known as DeafBlind, writes note only in the second person, but writes as though he were speaking in American Sign Language (ASL). It takes getting used to, reading his voice, but once you do, you fall into a world that most hearing people are not used to.

The other narrator is told in first person by his interpreter, a young gay man who is trying to be professional, and not get involved in Alro’s life, and problems.

Arlo’s mother died, and his uncle, a Jehovah's Witness (JW), took him in, became his guardian, and has been keeping him from the rest of the world, to make him a good JW, so that he can go on missions with him. But one of the things he needs to do, is learn how to write so that non-deaf people can read what he has to say.

Once he gets into the writing class, with a new interpreter, because two are needed for so much information being given to him, he discovers there is a whole world out there, and he begins to doubt all the things his regular interpreter and his uncle have been telling him about the world, and the girl he loved when he was in boarding school for the deaf and blind.
The author, who is an interpreter himself, made sure that all the things that he brought up in the book, were vetted by people he interacted with, the deaf and DeafBlind.

Watching Arlo become more and more aware of what is out there, and how his Uncle has lied to him, gets him more and more daring.

Not an easy read, but very engaging. Highly recommend it.

Oh this was such an emotional and unique story! It is a coming of age story about breaking free. It was wonderful! It gave me all the feelings and so much more. It was entertaining and I learned a great deal as well.

I’ve never read a book quite like this. The main character is deaf and blind, and a Jehovahs Witness. He lives with his uncle, and he depends on his gay interpreter to help him through life. Arlo met the girl of his dreams but thought she was lost to him. He sets out to find her with the help of his friends.

His journey wasn’t easy but it was heartwarming to see him go for what he wanted. Very moving and different from other romance books, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

We are only half way through April and I have read some of the best books. The Sign for Home by Blair Fell is one of them. This book, it’s characters and unique story, stole my heart.
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I am surprised by that, it did grab me right away, but for whatever reason, it seemed like the first half took me forever to read. It could be that I had to get used to the unusual “voice” of the DeafBlind young man in the chapters he narrated. It could also be that I found every word in this book necessary, because this book practically screamed at me how important and beautiful words and communication are. I got so caught up in the relationship between Arlo, the DeadBlind man, and his new interpreter, Cyril, that I just kind of lived in their world for a minute.
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I have half heartedly taken a few ASL sign language courses throughout my life, but never really had occasion to practice it as I should have. The language fascinates me.
My father-in-law is deaf, but as he was almost retirement age when he actually lost all his hearing, he never learned sign language and depends on reading lips. Communicating with him is very difficult. I cannot imagine if he was blind as well and couldn’t read lips or notes. All that has given me just a glimpse of what our main characters deal with.
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Arlo signed up for a writing class at the community college and needed a second tactile interpreter to help him in the classroom. His long time interpreter, Molly, and his new interpreter, Cyril, take turns so that Arlo can understand and participate in the class. Cyril and Arlo can communicate quite well with each other, but they have totally different world views. Cyril can’t wait to get out of the city he feels he has been stuck in all his life. Arlo doesn’t even realize he is stuck.
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I learned so much about the DeafBlind, a bit about Jehovah’s Witness, and the interpreter’s job, all while cheering both Arlo and Cyril on as they both try to break free.
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There is so much more I could tell you, but you should really read it yourself. I think you will lose your heart to them too.
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I really enjoyed this book! We definitely need more books about ASL and deaf-blind individuals. It was a bit slow paced in the beginning, which made it hard for me to get into it but I ended up really enjoying it.

Where to even begin. Heartwarming is possibly an understatement. Its borderline the feeling I had after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea with a mix of Bear Necessity.

Arlo is DeafBlind, a Jehovah's Witness and is under the guardianship of his not so great uncle after his mother passed. He loved someone once and thought he lost her until he learns she may be closer than he realizes. Let the journey for love begin.

Reading the synopsis you wouldn't assume the emotional and thought provoking depth that exists in this book. The research Fell put into having this novel present a realistic and wholly engrossing venture into human rights, advocacy for the DeafBlind and resources that should be available to anyone with disabilities, was astounding.

It's so much more than that though. Its a rollercoaster of reader emotions. I went from laughing, to angry to cheering and even awkward amusement as Cyril (Arlo's gay interpreter) learns the mystery surrounding Arlo. He also learns the borderline neglect and ADA requirements not being met.

I will admit that there is a good bit of focus on the sexual that I did not expect. Typically I'm all for the down-n-dirty but this had a different tone that hit me oddly. This is where my own awkward amusement comes in due to the context of some of those areas.

Some content mentions should also be noted. Sexually charged scenes, attempted unwanted advances, mental abuse, adultery and neglect, to name a few.

I loved this novel. I've sat with it for a few days and still don't think I have the proper words to convey everything I want too. If you loved Bear Necessity, had a book hugging feel at the end of The House in the Cerulean Sea or just want something that'll take your heart out of it's comfort zone for the better... well, here is my recommendation!

Thank you Atria Books for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own. True rating 4.5/5.

I learned so much from this book. Fell really enlightening me to the daily challenges faced by the deaf and deaf/blind. I can see where they are terribly susceptible, even vulnerable, to their caregivers wishes and methods, beliefs and control

Arlo was cool. Not perfect. He's got a temper. But he's so real. Unfortunately, he's not been given all the information he deserves to know. That he has no clue is rights under the American with Disabilities Act for instance is hard to fathom. But sadly I suspect he's not alone and that this happens a lot in the real world. It's even easier for parents/guardians to control the information their loved one receives. Whether by neglect, ignorance or malicious intent. Arlo's new interpreter, Cyril, is giving him a new understanding of the world around him., unwittingly. Cyril makes statements based on assumptions that Arlo knows a lot more than he does. Arlo's incredibly bright though and takes what Cyril says and researches these new pieces of info. There's way too much action in this book to provide a good synopsis. All the supporting characters are interesting. Even Arlo's misguided uncle adds a lot of color to the story. Molly the interpreter provided by his uncle is way more complex than expected. Cyril is real. Not always likeable, his heart is most often in the right place. His own life has hobbled him with dysfunctions and caused him to wall himself off. Can Arlo be what he needs to open up and live again? Hanne, Well she's fascinating. Her life is far from perfect but she's a great friend to Cyril and becomes one for Arlo. Shri. Poor Shri. Her life is even more tragic than Arlo's. Can Arlo and the gang save her?

This story was so full of great characters, intense and touching instances, and suspense. Every bit felt real to me even though I have no frame of reference in my personal life! That's impressive. I was terrified, sad, lonely, everything when Arlo was.

I can't recommend this books highly enough! it definitely rated all five stars! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love to see diverse and complicated characters come alive on the page, and Fell delivers. The amazing friendships here really are the star of the book and I think anyone who gives this a chance will discover what a lovely book this is.


4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, a special thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for the ability to read this digital ARC!

I loved this sweet story about the friend of Arlo (deaf and blind mane) with his new interpreter Cyril. Arlo's life was full of challenges! He was sheltered, in a religious family, and struggled for normalcy. But that doesn't stop him from being curious about life! Arlo's perspective is what really makes this book! It's sad, hopeful, has heartwarming moments and moments of laughter (even some LOL moments). This book also was very eye opening about the deaf and blind community!

The Sign For Home was such a sweet story about friendship between Arlo, a deafblind man and his new interpreter Cyril. Arlo has lived a very sheltered life. He was raised in a very strict, Jehovah’s Witness family, plus being deafblind, does not make it easy for Arlo to live a normal life. But Arlo is still so hopeful and curious about life. I just loved reading Arlo’s perspective on the world. This book was heartwarming, sad, and laugh out loud funny at times. I also feel like I learned a ton about the deafblind community that I was not previously aware of. I absolutely loved this book and the fresh perspective it gave me!

The Sign for Home, which is written from multiple points of view, tells the story of a young deafblind man named Arlo. Arlo lives with his controlling uncle who is a member of the Jehovah Witnesses and has to live by the strict Jehovah Witness rules. He has a hard time venturing away from the community because he is highly reliant on his current interpreter, Molly, who is also a Jehovah Witness member. When faced with adding a secondary interpreter Arlo opts to venture outside of his community and hire a non-Jehovah Witness interpreter, Cyril, which goes against the wishes of both his uncle and Molly . As opportunities arise to gain more independence Arlo must challenge his beliefs and learn to trust himself and make his own choices. Additionally, we are able to watch his new interpreter, Cyril, face his past choices and make challenging decisions.

Overall, this was a terrific read and it brought out a full range emotions in me. I laughed, cried and felt invested in all of the characters especially the supporting characters Hanne and Molly.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a unique and interesting read! The author did an amazing job describing Arlo’s experiences and perspectives, which made the book feel very honest and immersive.

This was a very different sort of book, a novel featuring an unforgettable deafblind man named Arlo, and setting up a long look into the life of someone with his particular challenges. I am guessing most of us have little experience or knowledge into either those difficulties or some of the technology and mechanisms that can assist him in every day life.

The book is written in alternating chapters by Arlo, and by his interpreter Cyril. It highlights the intimate nature of the connection between a deafblind person and their interpreter, a highly personal relationship in touch and in communication. Arlo is highly intelligent and has had a rough time. He is under the strict guardianship of his Uncle Birch, a very controlling Jehovah's Witness. This is partly Arlo's coming of age story, starting when he was young, lost his mother, and was sent to a boarding school. There are some gritty passages detailing Arlo's sexual maturing. Arlo has two close friends and a girlfriend, but an ugly incident gets him bounced from the school and into his uncle's very strict household where we meet him several years later.

Cyril, his interpreter, has problems of his own. He recently lost his ex-boyfriend to cancer, and he is pretty closed off emotionally, treating his depression with alcohol. But he is very good at his job, and takes the ethics and responsibility very seriously. He advocates for his deaf and deafblind clients but tries to be careful to maintain appropriate boundaries.

Everything changes when Arlo wants to take a writing class. Cyril and his teacher somehow help him get empowered to become more independent. For Arlo, that means finding his old friends and discovering some shocking news. The last part of the book is both comedic and highly dramatic as Arlo strikes out on his own and his posse leaps in to help him. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was hard for me to read, not because it wasn't good. It was excellent! The emotional rollercoaster I went on meant I couldn't read too many pages in one sitting, which is unusual for me. There was sadness, needed tissues sometimes, anger and outrage for Arlo, and shock. Yes, Arlo was a fictional character, but it felt so real and I believed that it was at the very least based on truth and real information. The shock from never realizing what blind, deaf and deafblind go through. I mean you realize it on some level, but if you've never been around anyone like that (and I never have) dealing with these things you really don't know. I was horrified at some of these things that you just don't think about in your busy life. This book made me want to learn ASL just in case I ran into someone who needed help. The whole tactile ASL, I didn't understand how they can feel the shape of your fingers to understand, but it made me want to learn more. This book made me want to be a better person. I will research more and find out what I can do. I'm so thankful that this book brought these issues to my attention, not just people like Arlo, but even some of what the interpreters go through. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria for giving me this book for an honest review. And thank you to the author for bringing this book into the world and giving us a happy ending for these characters.

This story is so unique; it's unlike any other book I've read. Told in alternating perspectives, this book is about the coming of age of Alro, a DeafBlind young man. Arlo's chapters are in the second person point of view. The other perspective is Arlo's interpreter, Cyril, and his chapters are in the first person. The storytelling was fresh and much of the book is educational about the DeafBlind community, ASL, interpreters, and the issues DeafBlind people face in terms of ADA adherence and a lack of understanding from the hearing community, specifically the ways in which ableism manifests.

I expected this to be more of a rom-com from the cover and the synopsis, but it is much more focused on Arlo's relationship with his interpreter and his controlling, often ignorant family members. I didn't enjoy this less because of the lack of romance, but I will say don't expect a romance-heavy book. It has threads of romance and a focus on love and the search for it, but I wouldn't classify this as a romance.

I highly recommend this. It's so good, and fresh, and it centers on a community often underrepresented in publishing. I really enjoyed this and will likely be thinking about it for a while.

I've never read a book quite like The Sign for Home and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

This is the story about a deafblind man living in a world that has been abusively curated and limited due to the people who are supposed to be his support system. Then, his world is busted wide open by a messy new interpreter who just wanted a summer gig. What comes next is truly heartbreaking and, eventually, beautiful.

I will say that having Arlo's chapters written in second person pov made me insane at first, but as I came to understand it as the narrative tool it was meant to be, it worked.

I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Written from multiple points-of-view, The Sign For Home tells the story of Arlo - a deafblind young and good looking man who is striving for independence and his new interpreter Cyril. I really enjoyed reading about Arlo. I truly felt for him as he tried to escape abusive guardians to live his own life and find his way back to his true love, ultimately finding the meaning for home along the way. Thank you Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.