This was such a charming, beautiful read for me! I found it to be a really moving and wonderfully unique novel. It centers on a DeafBlind protagonist as he navigates relationships and tries to make sense of the world around him. The story offers a deeply empathetic portrayal of his experiences, highlighting powerful themes of communication, love, and the extraordinary strength of the human spirit in overcoming immense challenges. I genuinely enjoyed this perspective.

Arlo, a young DeafBlind man who is also a Jehovah's Witness, is hoping to meet the right girl. He met a girl once, at his Deaf school and has been unable to forget her as he thinks she is gone from his life forever. When memories of his past start to resurface, Arlo embarks on a journey to figure out the truth and find the love of his life. Despite the slower start, this book was an interesting read and even more interesting on audio. The romance aspect aside, which I feel like was honestly a side plot, this story is about Arlo coming into his own and learning who he is. In many ways he has been taken advantage of, especially from his controlling uncle who uses his religion as well as the fact that Arlo is DeafBlind against him. My heart really broke for Arlo when he learns about how much was kept from him, but I was really rooting for him to find what he wants from his life. With the help of his guide dog Snap, his new interpreter Cyril, and new friend Hanne, Arlo is able to not only find his dream girl, but also figure out who he is outside of his religion and his disability. Overall, this was a really heartwarming read with some romance and I would definitely recommend it!

A beautiful story about a man navigating independence, love, and self-discovery. Heartwarming, funny, and educational without being preachy. A truly unique and moving novel.

Arlo is a deaf-blind Jehovah Witness navigating a whole new world. Arlo is taking college classes and trying to be "normal" in the hearing world. Navigating this a new interpreter and his old faithful interpreter, Arlo's world is turned upside down. Has his world been as he thought or has it all be a lie?
The Sign for Home was an unexpected treat. I loved every minute of this sweet novel. But don't let that fool you, I also was so upset and frustrated for Arlo. This poor boy navigating a world that is not forgiving is so hard. I wish I would have read this book earlier! Special thanks to NetGalley, Blair Fell, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me.

The Sign for Home is a book that truly makes you feel. Laughs, sadness, empathy for Arlo. The author brought Arlo to life and wonderfully represented the deaf community.

This is such a beautiful story and I absolutely love the DeafBlind representation in this novel! While I felt like it dragged a little in the first half, the second half picked up plenty of steam and I'm so thankful I took the time to read this one - well done!

Loved it! It opened my mind to a world I know nothing about through the main character, a DeafBlind young man, with a whole village of people trying support him in their own ways - his interpreters, a super strict Jehovahs Witness uncle, and a Deaf love interest. I learned so much so for me maybe it's educational wrapped in a drama wrapped in a romcom wrapped in a suspense wrapped in an inspirational bow. I laughed, I cried, I yelled. All the feels. I also went online to see videos of new signing techniques described in the book, like ‘pro-tactile, that gives so much more information to the users. It’s amazing to me, what a gift to the DeafBlind community. And I feel like knowing about it is a gift to me.

Give it a try, it’ll suck you in immediately.

I would 100% say all of the above even if the author wasn’t my brothers friend. If you know me you know that’s true!

I’d like to start this review by apologizing for waiting so long to read this beautiful story. I read the summary and the blurb but I really had no idea what was waiting for me between the pages. Arlo’s story is exceptionally important, and means a lot to me as the partner of someone visually impaired. I knew from my limited experience about a few of the struggles that visually impaired people have, but Arlo’s experience as a DeafBlind individual made that understanding sharper and more vivid.

I really loved the dual POV between Cyril and Arlo. Their contrasting perspectives and voice brought each other to life in a way that a single POV couldn’t have done. I was absolutely enthralled throughout this entire story, and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

I will be recommending this to everyone as a must read.

I will start by saying what a special book! It made me think, angered me, enlightened me, made me laugh and so much more.

I started this book ages ago and put it down because it had a slow start. Arlo was an intriguing MC, but I wasn't that interested in the Jehovah's Witness perspective, until later on in the novel when it became apparent why it was such a strong focus. There were so many injustices that were brought to light in this book - that of a DeafBlind protagonist, someone shamed by his religious group, and a kid going through adolescence who can't experience it in the same way as his peers. Cyril was such an amazing character, and his emotions were so on point. I adored Arlo and how he grew more confident throughout the book. His relationship with S was so sweet and heartbreaking, and the ending made my heart happy.

Also the irony is not lost on this comment, I highly recommend the audiobook version!

MAN, I LOVED the representation in this book! As a hearing impaired individual with bilateral hearing aides, I related to the MC SO HARD at some points. We need more books like this!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was an emotional story about finding independence, connection, and love. I enjoyed the writing as well as the characters.
It was an excellent portrayal of the life of a DeafBlind man and culture. This book touched my heart and educated me in the process.

This is an emotional story about finding connection, about independence, and about love. The characters are decent, but the romance kind of missed the mark for me. The writing is overall good, though I didn’t love all of the content. The area where this book really shines, though, is the excellent portrayal of the life of a DeafBlind man, and of the Deaf and DeafBlind culture. You’ll surely walk away from this book feeling more educated, more empathetic, and (in my case, at least) more interested than ever in learning more sign language.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a story of hope and love, while tackling the possibility of those around you that you put your trust in being dishonest with you, allowing for a new outlook on life. An enjoyable read start to finish.

I couldn't get through this title. It ended up not being for me, but I hope it finds a hope with other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Blair Fell has written us a beautiful story. Hands down. As a true life lover of ASL and as one who has been immersed in the deaf world throughout my life, this was a beautiful story, immersing us in the world of being deaf AND blind, like that of the lovely Helen Keller.

I love how Fell continually shares the description of signs along the way, allowing readers to pick up the opportunity to learn as we read. We see a story with great character buildup, and we can't help but be pulled in to Arlo's story. Arlo is highly loveable and touching, and I couldn't get enough.

Highly, highly recommended, and so thankful for the opportunity to read. Five stars, easily.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

What I love about The Sign for Home by Blair Fell is that it features a differently abled main character. Representation matters! I learn much about the deaf-blind community. The ending of the book is perhaps not quite realistic. Life is not that neatly packaged, and issues not that easily resolved. Regardless, I am glad to follow Arlo's story for all that I learn about the real world from his story.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/the-sign-for-home.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

With July being Disability Pride Month, it was the incentive I needed to finally read The Sign For Home. I finished it a few days ago and I’m still trying to figure out how to describe this wonderful book.

It’s about a young man (Arlo, 23) who is DeafBlind (he’s still got a smidge of vision in one eye but not much). You could consider it a coming-of-age or a coming-of-independence story, as his horizons are broadened over the summer by taking a writing course at the local community college and having a new, second interpreter help him because of this (Cyril). There’s an underlying theme of a lost first love but this is most definitely not a romance novel. Arlo has been raised as part of the Jehovah’s Witness community and perhaps that’s why I put off reading it for so long - not sure. (I tend to get upset with stories of what most people consider extreme religious groups and this story reinforced my feelings.) The people caring for Arlo lied to him a lot and denied him access that other DeafBlind people have, because of their religious beliefs. Example: they limited his internet access because they worried for his soul.

Cyril is also a very interesting character, with his own issues. He’s been interpreting for the Deaf for a long time, but he’s not that experienced with interpreting for the DeafBlind. (He gets really good at it!) He’s also gay and when Arlo’s guardian and regular interpreter discover this, they are none too happy. The writing professor is another great character, as is Cyril’s friend Hanne. The author used a different style of writing for Arlo and for Cyril. When it’s Arlo’s POV, the story is written in second person past. When it’s Cyril’s POV, it’s written in first person past. It took me a bit to get used to it, but the technique worked very well.

Arlo has had a lot of trauma in his young life and this is a very emotional story. You also learn A LOT about the Deaf community and the smaller DeafBlind community.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was rather late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The audio was narrated by the author and he did a great job with the various voices and accents.

Oh, let me tell you, "The Sign for Home" had me completely hooked! I haven't been this captivated by a book in ages. Blair Bell's passion for the characters and the story they tell is truly heartwarming. Arlo's connections with his childhood pals and sweetheart melted my heart, and I couldn't help but cheer them on throughout the journey.

I absolutely loved how the author showcased the beauty of sign language, especially in moments where ASL syntax was integrated into the narrative. It gave me a glimpse of the linguistic richness of ASL, and I appreciate the effort to make it accessible to hearing readers. The way the friendships and relationships were portrayed made the characters feel so real and endearing.

Sure, there were some bumps along the way, but what story doesn't have them? Despite the minor hiccups, "The Sign for Home" left me feeling uplifted and emotionally invested in the characters' lives. It's a book that managed to leave a lasting impact, and I'm grateful to have experienced such a heartwarming and gripping story. Kudos to Blair Bell for bringing these characters to life in such a touching way!

This was a very interesting book. I went in blind and thought, based on the cover, it was more of a romance. However, romance was like 5% of this book. The rest was a very educational and heartwarming story of a Deaf/Blind Jehovah's Witness starting college and his new interpreter, who happens to be gay, and their relationship. I learned a lot about the Deaf/Blind community and I appreciated who Arlo's POV was told in Deaf/Blind language.

Arlo and Cyril touched my heart and I loved the evolution of the story and the ARC for some of the other characters. While I did really enjoy the characters and the character development, I think this might have suffered a tad bit for me of being one of those books that I picked up at the wrong time. I was not prepared for the type of book this was and was probably expecting more of a fluffy book. But I don't want to discredit the book for that but I found myself, not bored but struggled a few times to hold me interest. However, this is a book that I think I will look back on really fondly and it was very memorable. I learned a lot and even now, two days after I finished reading it, I am looking back wondering why I struggled at time. This was a very unique book that will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I tried reading this book several times and even went as far as trying the narration but I just couldn’t get into the book