Sigil in Shadow

by Constance Roberts

Ellary Dane knows she deserves to die


- but not for a crime she didn’t commit.


She believes her 19 year streak of bad luck is over when she accidentally saves the life of a highborn officer and is taken to court to study under the tutelage of the most renowned healer in the kingdom. Suspicions surround her sudden presence, making her more enemies than allies. She soon finds herself ripped from her warm palace sheets and thrown into a dank prison cell.

As nobles vie for their spot on the throne, Ellary learns she is bound to a secret history that could change the kingdom forever. If she is going to break her chains, she must trust the charming stranger labeled as her accomplice and face the lie that pushed her into the silent warfare of highborn society.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 12, 2016

About the author

Constance Roberts is a retired flight attendant who turned in her wings to stay at home with her adventurous children and to write. She and her husband live in St. Louis, Missouri where they spend the weekends playing board games with friends. She is currently working on exciting projects and has big plans for another fantasy series.

Reviews

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constance Roberts has written a delightful and charmed new story in her Sigil in Shadow. Filled with excitement and adventure, as well as unexpected twists and turns, readers will be captivated by this fantastic book and not want to put it down. I was fascinated with Ellary’s ability and learning to use different herbs for cures. I also enjoyed seeing the interesting turn of events as Ellary goes from a poor young women, to a rich young women, and then having her riches torn away again. I don’t want to give too much away so, read this enchanting novel to discover what truly takes place. I would recommend this novel to readers that enjoy historical fiction.

Genre: historical
Publisher: Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort
Publication date: June 12, 2016
Number of pages: 256
Category: Junior High+
Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 5 stars

A review copy of this novel was provided by Cedar Fort.

[Sherry Ficklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigil in Shadow is a shining example of historical fiction done right. From the moment we are introduced to lowborn Ellary, we are transported to her kingdom and enraptured in the harsh realities of her life. In a moment of fear she takes, then accidentally restores, the life of a highborn lord--the consequences of which reveal the truth about her heritage and plunge us into the world of deadly court politics. Fans of The Red Queen and A Court Of Thorns And Roses will relish this brilliantly crafted, awe-inspiring tale that will leave readers breathlessly anticipating the next volume.

[Kariny · Rating 5 out of 5]

*i received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Ellary Dane's life is harsh. With a drug addict of a father and no mother, she relies on her healing skills and knowledge of plants to keep her father and herself off the road. Her only hope is to marry into a rich family but things take a wrong turn from there. One night, Ellary heals a highborn officer who was knocked unconscious, or so she thinks. A while later, she is summoned to the castle where the officer said he was brought back from death, unable to deny his claim on front of the king, Ellary is sent into apprenticeship in the palace with the aim to recreate the potion withing six months. But as time runs out. Ellary becomes entangled in the dark web of politics and the power hungry lords as she soon finds that she is not who she thinks she is...



First of all a big big thanks to the author for letting me take part in the tour!



Constance Roberts has again written a beautiful book with a great historical backdrop. The world building was well established from the beginning to clear away the reader's questions and leave their attention fixed on Ellary and her journey. I think the story itself was really unique and took and interesting turn that i didn't expect!



Ellary as a character, is a survivor. I think any teen girl can relate to her because she's not faultless and she has a lot of pressure on her. You can really understand the situation she's in and the dilemma she's in. Yet she never gives up and remains determined to survive.



Though she wasn't the main character. i think my favorite character was Corrin, the princess. The author left room for the novel to take on a new path where we follow Corrin's struggle to be a princess in a kingdom where her marriage to a wealthy man is essential for the reign of her family. We've seen snippets of her and her love interest which she might not be able to marry and i'm so excited to read more about her! She intrigued me so much!!



My favorite scene in the book was the night when the girls sneaked out to a party where everyone wore masks. I was completely awed in that scene, i was gulping down the details, the colors the atmosphere; everything! And man i wanted to be there!!!!

The love story wasn't prominent in the book but since we met the love interest, when he winked i was like (whew i realize how creepy that gif is :P)

This book will keep you hooked with it's amazing story line, courageous protagonist and dazzling background. The author is able to project a great story to her readers and i cannot wait to read more! If historical fiction is your thing, then you definitely do not want to miss out on this!

[Kareena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed reading this. Short and sweet. A lot happened in the end, and I was expecting there to be a lot of unanswered questions, but most of them were answered.

Still have some questions though... hmmm
I really wanted to know the story from Ellary’s dad’s point of view (or have him confirm). Of why her mother left the castle.
And a few other small details.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

SIGIL IN SHADOW was a story about a girl who, due to circumstances she really has no control over, ends up being taken to the king and placed to study with the court's healer. There is somewhat of a mystery surrounding the heroine's past as well as what the future holds for her as danger and romance begin to build. It is set in a fantasy land that felt like historical Medieval times with all the political intrigue and dangers of a king who is used to getting his way. The heroine was endearing and the romance sweet. Would recommend to those who enjoy light historical or fantasy.

I pretty much enjoyed this story from the beginning. Ellary felt authentic and I liked how she slowly became accustomed to living at court. I also really liked her mentor and the princess who both came alive even though the story's focus wasn't on them. The king also came across well. The plot was also fairly steady. The ending was where things started to get rocky for me...

Ellary's love interest wasn't at all strong enough nor did he spend enough time for the romance to really develop. It was a little bit of a situation of insta-love. It also didn't quite make sense to me at the end. The villain and the plot needed more development as well. Then when Ellary is saved at one point, it just didn't work for me, especially when another character said that he had always been close. How would she know that and why would he be? It almost felt like it would lead to an undercover spy network or something that would explain it all, but then that wasn't the case. So, some things like that just felt a little disjointed and like they needed to be smoothed out and developed more.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was, overall, an enjoyable read. If some things would have been developed and the plot smoothed out more than it would have been more so.

Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigil in Shadow was a surprisingly great read. I had definitely hoped to like this book but it was even better than I expected. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was different than other books in the same genre. And trust me, this is a good thing!

This book is about Ellary Dane, a poor girl who more often than not, together with her father, is starving, which is why she recently had shaved off her hair for money. One day she saves the life of a highborn officer by accident and before she knows it is whisked away to court to study, like the synopsis already says, under a renowned healer. Life at court is obviously not easy, especially when secrets about herself that are brought to light.

I really like books that are set in royal courts. I just love the political intrigue and how basically everyone can unexpectedly betray anyone. This book is no different. It also had a lot of twists that I hadn't seen coming.

I definitely was a fan of Ellary Dane. She knows how to survive in a world that can be brutal and although she hasn't been totally honest about everything, there's something endearing about Ellary that makes you just root for her.

There was also a bunch on secondary characters that I really liked like princess Corrin, Ellary's tutor Treya and Denzil who was just super adorable. Of course there were the less likable characters also that cause a lot of trouble for Ellary but make the book all the more intense. There's definitely not a lack of suspense with this story.

Overall, the book mostly reminded me of Red Queen, except that I actually liked Sigil in Shadow more. The writing was also fantastic, which made me not want to put my Kindle down because I just wanted to know what would happen next. It was just a really great book!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigil in Shadow is a nice surprise. Although it takes place in the past, in a fantasy land, it almost has a modern feel as the story progresses, which makes it easy to read. There are a lot of secrets surrounding Ellary and her family and the way the book unfolds is charming.

Ellary is summoned to the castle by the king after a situation arises that's completely out of her hands. There are great moments of intrigue and mystery that develop, but the execution (in places) is a turbulent.

I adore a story with good friendships and this book is heavy on loyalty, adventure, and mysterious circumstances. Throw in a few shady characters and the plot thickens. As my followers know, I also love a good, clean romance but this isn't what drives the story (a little to my disappointment) and it plays a very minor role. I would have loved to see this angle expanded on, as there is a lot of potential and would have made things more believable.

There are many elements to the story that drew me in--from masquerades, to potions, to royalty, to danger. I only wish that a few of the characters and situations had been developed just a little bit more because I'd really like to understand some of these motives better. The story flows along at a nice pace and then gets rough towards the end, with a few loose ties that just didn't quite make sense. All in all, it is a fun read.

Content: mild innuendo (implications of affairs, adultery); mild violence. Clean.

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Helen-Marie Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ARC was provided by the publishing company in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this book so much! The Synopsis is very intriguing and will make you want to immediately dive right into the book - which is what we did once we received it. We had to decide who was going to read it first - Destiny won that round. It is a fast paced book so you will get through it quickly. This book is basically The Selection By Kiera Cass meets Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard but with its own twist, making it unique in its own way.

You can read the full book review plus an Author Q&A on our blog here -> http://bondingoverbindings.blogspot.c...

[Lauren]

I got to preview this one for a blurb. :) Keep an eye out for it this summer!

[Jessica Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read.

[Hayley Guertin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Murdering a highborn officer of the crown. Lying to King Lorron himself. Even if I make it out of this alive, retribution will surely be waiting patiently for me in the afterlife" (Roberts, 51).

Sigil in Shadow is a novel about a lowborn girl who is summoned by the king to re-create a potion that supposedly brought an officer back to life from the dead. Only, she doesn't know if the potion actually revived the officer she assaulted, or just awoke him from unconsciousness. Summoned to the crown, Ellary finds she has no choice but to stay and re-create the potion. The problem? She has no idea what ingredients were put in to make it.

The book opens up with the main character, Ellary Dane, getting home and hearing her father fighting with an officer in their stable. She decides quickly to hit the officer over the head with a shovel to get him off of her father, knocking him unconscious, or killing him. She doesn’t know which.

The quick action at the beginning of the book was a really good way to pull someone into the story, and it made me want to read more. The story was set in what seemed like the late 1600's with the royalty and the clothes that they wore. The book is written in present tense, first person, which seems rare in indie books lately, and I enjoyed it.

I liked that the story isn't just restricted to one particular event that is drawn out. We are with Ellary for a little over a month throughout her time with the king. I enjoyed the adventure we went through and it was great because the movement of the story kept it interesting.

Ellary Dane is the main character of this novel, and she fits there perfectly. We got to follow her character development throughout the story and see what the changes in her life did to change her. She is the perfect role model for a lot of people born in a lower class society.

Other characters like Denzil and Gadiel were entertaining as well. They were more so side characters, but had a great impact on the story. Their personalities complemented the story perfectly and made it more realistic to real life.

The theme of this novel is along the lines of just because you come from a lower class doesn't mean you can't be just as good or even better than people in a higher class. This is something that is very important for people, especially kids, to learn early on.

There were a lot of different ways that the story could have went, which was really good for keeping my attention. The story wasn't entirely predictable, which is a key element in keeping the interest of your readers, and Roberts did an amazing job at doing so. However, I did find that the ending was a bit rushed, if not forced.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I was told there will be a second book to the series, and I can't wait to see where the next adventure takes me. Roberts did a wonderful job with her story and heart captivating characters, and I certainly can't wait to read the next one. I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
4.5/5

Sigil in Shadow by Constance Roberts is a historical mystery in a royal court setting. Not a historical in the sense that it is modeled after events in history, but the book takes place in the past. I love a good royal court setting in a book, especially a book that has a mystery element to it because I feel like politics and high society and people trying to climb the court ranks all lend themselves really well to deception, betrayal and mind games galore. I adored Sigil in Shadow. I think this is a book that deserves to be put out in the spotlight of the young adult world. I have not heard too much hype surrounding this book, and I am shocked! This is a book worth reading, and then some.

Sigil in Shadow follows Ellary, a young girl with an aptitude for healing. Ellary's talent with healing and making potions for healing reminded me of the Maria V. Snyder's Healer series. I think this book would be perfect for fans of the Healer series. Ultimately it is Ellary's healing powers that land her in the castle court, and this is where her real adventure begins. I loved meeting the cast of secondary characters, including the princess Corrin, who actually surprised the heck out of me in a good way. Constance Roberts does an excellent job of creating solid friendships among the characters, which I really appreciated. There are enough bad guys running around that you don't need friends to also be a bad guy. My only complaint is with the romance in the book. It felt lacking in some way. I wanted to see more development between the couple. I felt like they started out great and then just kind of stagnated. However, there is so much else going on in the story that the romance felt secondary to me.

I'm not sure if there is a planned sequel to Sigil in Shadow or not, but I really hope there is. This is such a fantastically developed world that it would be a shame to not visit it again. Not to mention there are so many characters that I want to read more about. Please Constance, please write another book! I really loved Sigil in Shadow. It has wonderful fantasy elements, a fantastically detailed world, great characters, and a twisty-turny adventure. Bottom line: Sigil in Shadow is a really great book.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constance Roberts really knows how to start a book with a bang and keep the intensity going throughout the whole thing so that you won't want to put the book down! I loved the plot of this one from beginning to end.

It starts with our heroine Ellary. She finds her father fighting an unknown foe in their stable. And doing just what anyone would do, she finds the nearest thing she can to defend him. It happens to be a shovel. She smacks the man in the head and both she and her father are sure that he's dead. She feels terrible, she's killed a highborn officer. But luck smiles upon her when she takes a strong smelling potion from a friend and the man appears to come back to life.

Still...he can recognize her and she spends time waiting for someone to come after her. She's not surprised when another officer comes for her a few weeks later to take her to the king. But she is surprised when she learns the reason. The officer that she thought she killed has told everyone that she brought him back to life and now the king is expecting her to make a potion that will revive dead people. Not knowing quite what to do, she agrees to try and this starts her adventures in the king's household.

I love the number of characters and groups that are in this book. There are a bunch of classes of highborn people all grouped in families. There are also plenty of lowborn people to get to know.

I love the way that Ellary has always thought that she was one thing, only to find out during her adventure in the castle that she's really another thing. But that doesn't stop her destiny. I love the way that she eventually decides that she doesn't really care what others think she is, she wants to be what she thinks she is and has always wanted to be. She's such a strong character, a great roll model for our young women trying to become what they're meant to become.

I love the way this book has action and adventure, mystery, and a touch of love with a completely clean plot line. Such a great book that I didn't want to put down!

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigil in Shadow
By Constance Roberts

You're only as safe as your secrets...

Ellary Dane has lived a simple life, one of good honest, hard work. But when she comes to the aid of her father her life is about to become very complicated and endangered. With a secret to keep hidden away from King Lorron and the nobility she fears discovery at any moment.

Yet her time is not one of constant wariness as she is apprenticed and given the opportunity to learn and expand her knowledge and skills. Skills that she hopes to take back to her home and her father, if she is allowed to leave White Valley and its treacheries behind.

But Ellary's very appearance stirs up an unexpected link to the past one that has her questioning all that she thought she knew about herself and her family. With a warning to "trust no one in White Valley", Ellary must determine who she can trust - her very life depends on it...

Raised as the daughter of a common laborer Ellary has no understanding of how the royal and noble structure works. But she needs to learn quickly because someone seems determined to bring her down and they'll use any means necessary to do it.

When treachery strikes Ellary is implicated. Worse she and her supposed accomplice may never make it out of the dungeons to face their accusers. The identity of their common enemy is a mystery to which neither holds the answer. And answering this question is a matter of survival if they hope to escape the block.

Sigil in Shadow is a delightful book that will appeal to YA fans who like clean reads and court intrigue. Sometimes the surface we see covers unfathomable depths we could never imagine and this book examines in part these hidden depths.

Though there is no mention of a sequel I would love to read further into the lives of these various characters who filled these pages.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Melanie Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting book that pulled me in from the start. I couldn't put it down until I finished. I particularly loved Ellary's strong character throughout the story. Great read!

[Sharon]

DNF.