Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 368 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Tanager Ink Publishing
Release date: November, 2025
Content Rating: PG: There is no swearing, and nothing explicit in my book. As far as fantasy series goes, it is more on the conservative side with less romantic material than most.
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When Izol crosses the boundary of the forbidden forest, she encounters a terror that should have ended her life. Instead, she is not only spared, but chosen. A mysterious messenger reveals a truth that will shatter everything she thought she knew about her family, her people, and her purpose.
Found bloodied and half-conscious, Izol returns home changed. But not everyone is ready for a young woman touched by the divine.
As tensions rise within the keep and dangerous eyes turn toward her, Izol must choose between who she was raised to be—and the powerful, terrifying truth of who she is. As the verity of her awakening begins to spread, those with something to lose will do anything to silence her.
The Illumination: Izol is a sweeping story of awakening, devotion, and betrayal. For readers who love epic storytelling grounded in emotional intimacy, myth, and wonder.
The Illumination: Izol launches the fantasy series well. This novel drops readers into a world that is interesting right away, even if everything isn’t fully explained. You get the sense early on that there’s a bigger picture, but the book doesn’t rush to spell it all out for you. Some questions are still hanging at the end, which may not work for everyone, but it fits the story, lets readers grow into the series with Izol, and clearly leaves room for what’s coming next.
Readers will find engaging characters. The characters are the real reason this book works, especially Izol. Izol is relatable, trying to make sense of things as she goes, and that makes it easy to stay invested. The supporting characters, while there are several, become well organized and add to the story without making it feel crowded or confusing. There is a light romantic element woven in, and it’s handled well — it feels reasonable, not sudden or forced, and it never takes over the story.
Expect a Slow Moving Story. The novel has characters and settings that are mysterious and a storyline that moves at a slower pace and can be a little confusing for readers at times. The scenes do not rely on nonstop action to keep your attention. Instead, the focus shifts more toward revealing the novel's world and the story and exploring character growth and emotional moments and revelations. While the main plot of the novel finds resoultion, the author does not answer every question. In spite of this, the character's story still feels complete enough to be satisfying.
Would I recommend The Illumination: Izol by Mescal? It took me a bit to settle into the setting and fall into sync with the characters and story flow, but I enjoyed the plot and became quite engaged with Izol's character. This novel is a well-done start to the series and is a good pick for readers who enjoy thoughtful fantasy, don’t mind a few unanswered questions, and like connections that develop slowly and feel earned.
My sojourn in the airline industry was only until I had decided on a permanent career path, or so I thought. Many years later, after traveling to a multitude of countries on five continents, having two boys who also traveled the globe with me, I find myself here, at this monumental moment where I’ve embarked on a new adventure, this all unfolding by happenstance, a bedtime story I told my nieces had etched its way in my mind.
The story slowly revealed itself as I sat having lunch in my office, on my commute home late at night, and while meandering the farmers market on weekends, I would see my story in my mind’s eye.
Finally, on a trip to Copenhagen in December five years ago, it beckoned me, the inner child, when I visited the statue of the Little Mermaid with my niece. Watching her entranced by the serin, I felt her wonderment as if reliving the experience of my first reading of the fairytale at the age of ten. A whispered voice caught my ear, and a single word summoned my heart. WRITE!
Invigorated by this calling, I set to paper what had been dancing in my head. Now here we are: the Izol series has been birthed. My grandmother’s words stood the test of time: “Wherever you are, there you’ll find yourself.”
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