Colorless

Colorless #1

by Rita Stradling

In Domengrad, there are rules all must live by: Fear the Gods. Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts.

To Annabelle Klein, the rules laid down by the Magicians are the mere ramblings of stuffy old men. As far as she’s concerned, the historic Iconoclasts, heretics who nearly destroyed the Magicians so long ago, are nothing but myth. She has much more important matters to worry about.

Heiress to a manor mortgaged down to its candlesticks and betrothed to her loathsome cousin, sixteen-year-old Annabelle doubts the gods could forsake her more.

Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colourless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her.

Living like a wraith in her own home, Annabelle discovers that to regain her color she must solve the mystery behind her parents’ murders and her strange transformation.

Meanwhile, hundreds of the Magicians’ monks, with their all-black eyes and conjoined minds, have usurped control of Annabelle’s family manor. An Iconoclast is rumored to be about—a person who they claim goes unseen, unheard, and lost to memory, yet is the greatest threat to all of Domengrad. For the first time in a hundred years, the monks plan to unleash the dire wolves of old.

Their only target: Annabelle.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Magic, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2017

About the author

Rita Stradling is a USA Today Bestselling Author with an all-consuming addiction to popcorn.

She writes young adult and new adult romances about flawed people who find their perfect together (often these people are dragon-shifters, werewolves, or have magical powers).

Rita believes in soulmates, happily ever afters, and that love can overcome any obstacle.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorless
By: Rita Stradling
Narrated by: Lauri Jo Daniels
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This is a very unusual book. I didn't know what it really was going to be about and just let the story hit me. Wow, I love different and boy, it is! A girl's parents die, in their room, the reader fears foul play. When the girl is told by the maids that her parents are dead, suddenly, no one remembers her...all her color disappears from her clothes and everything she touches. She lives in the house with servants but no one see or acknowledges her. She is to be married and even he has forgotten or has he? It is a very unusual book. It has magic, evil-ish monks, dire wolves, and a foggy hint of other...delightful for the strange like me. I think it lagged a bit getting started but once on a roll it was good.
The narrator had the perfect voice for that eerie, quiet, otherness....all that was needed was a thick blanket of fog...

[Eliza · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC off of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This does in no way persuade my opinion of the novel.

1.25 Stars.
DNF@40%

I was intending on "finishing" this novel - but then I quickly realized I was just skimming away, and I had no desire to finish this. Which makes this the second NetGalley DNF in a SINGLE day. I'm not quite sure if there is something wrong with me, if I'm in a reading slump, or if I'm honestly just not enjoying these books. Which I know I'm not. They're not holding my interest at all. Regardless, it doesn't make it easier giving them 1 star.

Any who, from the beginning, the novel started with action and characters talking about something that we had yet to find out about. Usually, this sort of thing grabs my attention, because I want to know what they're talking about and why it's panicking them. Unfortunately, that didn't happen with this novel, because it wasn't done well. The whole "confusion" amidst the action didn't leave me curious, as it should've. It literally just left me confused. Which wasn't good, considering that that confusion stayed with me for the rest of the 40% I read. Well. Things did start to clear up later on. But at that point, I didn't care anymore. Maybe I didn't care from the beginning. Who knows.

All right, so then we had Annabelle. Being straight-up honest: I didn't like her. At all. I felt no connection with her whatsoever. She was just a bland character to me - and also someone who thought too highly of themselves. I swear, she never failed to remind the reader that, "This is not how someone of my status should be treated!" Okay. We get it. But, you're kind of invisible, so chill. No one can even see you - so therefore they can't help you.

Ahh, it just irritated me.

Overall, I thought this was a good idea - the whole "colorless" thing was really original, which I liked. But that's pretty much where any "liking" (yes, I know this isn't proper English, lol) of this novel, ends. It's super unfortunate. Especially since this is the second 1 star I've given today.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis for this novel, a girl who looses all her colour and is forgotten by the world, bore a similarity to another novel I had little success with reading - The Sudden Appearance of Hope. Now I may have been prematurely setting myself up for failure but my source of discontent with this other book wasn't with the plot but the pace of it. This novel however, set in a fantastical world, seemed to be offering me everything I had been hoping for in the other. And that is what it initially delivered.

I adored the first few chapters of this. The entire thing is lyrically penned, but I found something extraordinarily absorbing about the first portion. I was, in short, mesmerised. This adoration dwindled as the novel progressed and I realised that certain facets of the world were never fully explained for the reader.

The synopsis begun: "Fear the Gods. Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts" but even after completing the novel I have no clue what any of that means. There are monks and magicians and girls cursed to turn invisible and paintings that can absorb humans; and it was all very interesting. But I have no idea how it all slotted together. With no discernible rules for this world I found it, sadly, not as mesmerising as it first appeared.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Rita Stradling for this opportunity.

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more. The initial concept, a curse that makes everyone forget you and everything you touch (including yourself) leeches colour, is really cool. I like the setting and overall idea. But it seems to me that Rita Stradling is great at developing cool concepts and plots; and that's where her greatness ends. Colorless is filled with characters that could almost be interesting and side stories that have potential; yet when it comes to actual execution of these ideas everything seems to fall apart.

Readability
Now that's not to say this isn't readable. It's quite readable. Action packed and again a cool concept. But Stradling is missing that 'something' that makes a writer a really great writer. If I didn't know better I'd think she was really new to writing (which she is not). I just wish she could up her game somehow and have loveable characters, and meaningful relationships.

A note on language
Stradling is the latest author, in a string of young adult books I've read recently, to use archaic words. Now I read a lot of historical fiction and am no slouch when it comes to vocabulary and Latin root words (I speak French and English) but it irritates me when authors use words randomly just to seem cool. In Colorless the use of anni (year) and annos (years) annoyed me to no end. It just felt unnecessary. It's not like your teaching anyone words that will ever be used in regular English! I get it when middle school books use larger or more complex words, because they are teaching. But by the time you're at the level of this book there is just no reason for it anymore. So take things like ornery, anni and candor elsewhere. You're not impressing anyone.

Back to the plot
There's also a weird thing that happens near the end that made me go 'What!?!'. It felt a little out of the blue. Looking back there was maybe a hint or two towards this outcome but I felt less like it was a twist and more like it was thrown in because she didn't know what else to do to give this book some closure.

Colorless is book one in a new series. Would I read the next one? I'm really not sure. Maybe... but it wouldn't be at the top of my must read list.

To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Max Lau • Maxxesbooktopia · Rating 1 out of 5]

My thoughts: Introduction

Before we get into the review, I would like to apologize for the lack of quotes because I really did not like this book and it irks me to not add any quotes in this review. Also, please take note that this is going to be a rant review because… You-Will-Know-Why. So, without further ado, let’s just jump right in!

The world-building and the atmosphere are the ones that I would like to talk about first. So, the world building for this book was extremely lacklustre. The beginning was great with the world-building although there were a lot of information dumping everywhere but it was still great! However, when the book reached the climax of the story, the world started to crumble down into pieces and nothing was explained, like literally nothing at all! Also, I found myself lost in some places in the book due to the fact that the locations where the protagonist was were not explained. Therefore, I disliked the world-building for this book.

In addition to the previous paragraph, the atmosphere for this book was exceedingly messy. Although I did not get far into the book to annotate if there is any romance factor in the atmosphere, I found that the atmosphere for the mystery, suspense and sadness to jumble up quite badly and the overall atmosphere just was not lively enough to push me to finish the book.

Moving on, the pacing for this book is the next component in the story that I woud like to talk about. I understand that I am a fairly slow reader. For example, four to five days a new book will be in my hands to read. Howbeit, to read a book for two months is a different case and you know something is wrong when it takes a vastly long time for you to finish a book. Just in case you are wondering what all of this is about, the example that I have given above is the vice versa of what had happened to me while I was reading this book. Therefore, I did not like the pacing because of how slow it was.

Furthermore, there are a lot of major plot holes in this novel and I know I did not finish the novel but I went far enough to understand some concepts the story had. Those plot holes really vexed me because I tried very hard to understand and ignore the pits but it just did not work out for me. Therefore, I had to put the book down and (let it go).

Diving deeper into the review, we will now talk about how the book drags. Oh my.. It dragged a lot, alright. To give an instance, they were walking towards this particular thing and the author started to describe the surrounding, its shape and all those necessary details and then it will just continue on and on until one of the character spoke to the protagonist and it will just stop abruptly, like.. WHAT? Yeah. Thus, I did not enjoy the unnecessary dragging of the story.

Moreover, I was originally intrigued by the plot lines because who would not? The plot lines were about this girl who does not know who murdered her parents (or something else) and why was she changing into an invisible being and also, no one seemed to remember her right after her changed in appearance, like they had just woken up from an amnesia.

And I was fascinated by those plot lines but it disappointed me because it was just so slow and everything else that I have said in the above was what summed up to this downfall. Therefore, I have 23.75% of love for this plot.

Finally, the relationships factor will be discussed right now. Everything felt false between Annabelle and Dylan because why would Dylan want to help her? and why would he want to get through all of what she was facing with her? I just do not understand. Therefore, it felt like a fictitious relationship.

Now, let us get into they audiobook review section of this review!

Audiobook:

The audiobook was narrated by Lauri Jo Daniels and I thought she narrated the book perfectly because she unfolded the story with emotions spilled out that made the characters and the story flashed out with bright lights! Although the audiobook was narrated perfectly, I do not plan to finish it due to all the things that I have said above. Therefore, I am giving the audiobook a 90%!

If you are planning to read this book, I highly recommend you to try the audiobook out on audible!

Writing:

The writing style was what saved the book for me because it was lyrical, clean and crisp and I thought that I really enjoyed the writing style for this book! However, I still cannot bring myself to finish the full-length of this novel even though the writing style was great.

Now, let us move into the characters section of the review!

Characters:

Annabelle: I liked her character in the beginning of the book. She was sassy and funny and just overall, a fun character to read about. However, when the book approached the climax of the story, her previous personalities failed on her and she turned into this whinny character who just kept whining. Therefore, I disliked her after the story reached that part of the book.

Dylan: I just do not understand. He was the only one that can see Annabelle and I was not annoyed by him in the (beginning) of the novel but just like what had happened to Annabelle’s character, he turned into something else or rather someone else instead of who he actually was in the beginning of the novel. Therefore, I did not like him although he was better than Annabelle by a little due to the fact that he was not whinny. So, nope.

Tony: Oh God.. He was Annabelle’s cousin and of course, he does not remember her because of whatever magic that had happened to Annabelle. So, to talk about his personalities, I will say that he was such an A-hole in the book and the voice that I imagined for him.. UGH.. so annoying and the voice fitted his character perfectly! Therefore, I did not like him although he was sort of like the villain in the book.

Overall:

My rating for this book will be a ‘DNF’ because I did not like this book.

The audiobook for ‘Colorless’ was sent by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted on Maxxesbooktopia

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[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this neat title by Rita Stradling! One thing I just love about Rita Stradling is that she is so creative and versatile. I’ve read several of her books and all of them have been highly entertaining and completely different from one another.

Well, she really outdid herself here. “Colorless” is an intriguing opener in a fantasy series (I’m assuming) where we see her world-building skills once again highlighted just like they were in her recent Beauty and the Beast retelling. In this one, Annabelle is a high-born young lady living in what feel like period times… even though it’s fantasy… and her parents are suddenly killed. As if that weren’t enough, all the color begins to drip from Annabelle’s body, rendering her invisible as a ghost. People who used to know her forget she existed, and she has no idea why. I loved the complexity of this tale as we went on a journey to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it… a world of magicians, cult-like devotion, revolution in the making, secret allies who could be friend or foe… it was just a great tale. We get quite a few pov’s, I think my favorite was Dylan’s, and there are plenty of perspectives left to explore more about.

Recommended for art lovers and those who like paranormal YA historicals.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.

Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the concept of this which is what drew me in to read this book. There are several points of view shown in the story each written in first person according to the titles and character's name heading each chapter. There were one or two comical moments that had me laughing a little. Annabelle, Tony and Dylan seemed to be well rounded characters. The dialogue was well thought out and consistent and the descriptions of setting and action well-written.

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well... I finished it! I'm not going to lie, I struggled with this one. I am still trying to figure out why exactly but haven't pinpointed a reason. I know that I didn't connect with most of the characters although I did find some of them interesting. I thought the story was unique and I was fascinated by the concept of this world. I think it just fell short in execution. I know after the first chapter I made a note that things were really confusing. There was a lot of stuff happening and nothing was being explained. There was just something about this book that couldn't keep my full attention. I caught myself skimming at a few places and going back to reread in case I missed anything.

The book starts with a lot of promise! Annabelle's parents die in what could be considered suspicious circumstances while they hint that they should have told her about something they did. (No spoilers for you!) After Annabelle is apprised of the fact something rather bizarre occurs. All the color of her being (except her eyes sort of) literally streams off of her leaving her invisible and forgotten. Seriously the maid is in front of her and doesn't remember her and can't hear her or anything. Weird right! So a few weeks pass and Annabelle has accepted her rather unusual circumstances and has adapted to them the best she could. Enter the really creepy monks! Seriously I think these things will give me nightmares. They were just so unsettling. Anyway they totally swoop in and appear to be searching for something *cough*someone*cough*

I'm not going to go into explaining anything else really at this point. Just know Annabelle is invisible. A stable hand named Dylan for some reason can see and hear her. The monks are creepy. Annabelle's cousin/fiance is kinda an ass. Ok there is no "kinda" about it. There are a lot of cult-ish type things that are going on. Oh and those monks desperately want Annabelle and it takes forever to finally find out the reason. So... Half the book you are confused and surrounded by characters that don't quite reach the "relatable" category and you are attempting to make sense of a religion that is really a cult and their odd gods.

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

[Rita Stradling]

Hi :) Thank you for checking out Colorless! There's also a prequel that can be read before or after Colorless (titled Hazel). And . . . I'm giving it out for FREE, exclusively to my newsletter subscribers :D.

If you'd like to join, you can grab your copy here (click on the cover):

[Carole (in Canada) · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Rating: 2.5*

I have had this e-book on my Kindle for at least two years. The premise sounded interesting and every now and then I like to step outside my usual reading genres. I must say this was more like a giant leap.

"I trust in the magicians, for they hold the gateway to the gods." (quote from the book)

I'm not sure how to begin to explain this book. I will leave that for other reviewers and the book description. My first thoughts were I had tumbled into the middle of a nightmare the author was having. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I just felt a bit disconcerted and the tale disjointed. I mean the colors of a person dripping off of her and everything she touched was rather bizarre and rather unique. The story is told through several characters in the first person. Again, I'm not sure that was the best format to use in this case when trying to paint a world for one's readers. I will say the beginning chapters held my attention, but I was soon skimming others.

"From the tips of my fingers to the toes poking out under my torn hem, I had transformed to grayer than fresh ash." (quote from the book)

I did finish the book as I wanted to know how Annabelle deals with the magicians and monks. I was engaged to a point, but felt I was missing some key elements to the story and not because I had skimmed. I just felt I had entered the 'Twilight Zone' and couldn't find my way out.

[Sylvia Mercedes · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review COLORLESS. This was my first Netgalley read, and a pretty good experience over all.

WHAT I LOVED

Well, Rita Stradling certainly can spin the intrigue! From the very beginning, I found myself curious about this world, curious about the characters, curious about this strange and suspenseful situation in which Annabelle finds herself. I was confused, yes, but I was confused right alongside Annabelle as the strange malady besets her--all her color drains away and ALMOST everyone forgets she exists, rendering her invisible--for no reason she can fully understand. I turned pages eagerly to learn how it would all turn out.

New characters and new intrigues were introduced every few pages, so I certainly didn't feel bored, especially during those first several chapters. My curiosity continued to grow, and my eagerness to find out how everything would fit together.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH

I . . . never really did figure out how everything fit together. I finished reading this book, and I honestly feel just as confused now as I did at the beginning. I mean, the action and suspense was great, but what with menacing gods, frightening magicians, religious oppression, invisibility curses, and then, kind of out of the blue, shape-shifting . . . Argh! It just got to be a LOT of story all packed into one volume.

And what was with that ending? I just didn't quite GET it.

Overall, would I recommend this book? I'm just not sure. I know that after a while, I started skimming quite a bit because I was so tired of being confused and I wanted to just start UNDERSTANDING some things already. But that's lazy reading on my part. A better reader might actually get a lot more out of this book than I did. And it's definitely smart and unique in the genre. The cast of characters was appealing, the world was COMPLETELY unique, and the writing was good. So I don't know . . . It wasn't a hit for me, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a hit for you.

In the meanwhile, I'm glad I had such an interesting start to my Netgalley experience. And I'll probably pick more books by Rita Stradling, because I'm curious to see what else her amazingly creative mind will invent!

[Rabid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this unique, thrilling story of one girls fight against an evil regime. It is not the everyday tale of a brave hero, it has an unusual and totally captivating storyline. Set in a period world where a dictatorship of manipulative magicians rule, their wills endorsed by the creepiest monks ever, Annabelle is unknowingly thrust into a fight for her life. As the colour drained from her and she became invisible and forgotten by almost everyone, Annabelle learns the truth of what she has become and the reason behind her parents and other nobles deaths. She is hunted by both the congregation and the magician controlled dire wolves, but with the help of unlikely friends, she finds the courage and means to fight for her life and freedom. This story takes you on an exciting journey that pulls at your heartstrings, has twists that surprise and keeps you enthralled to the very last page. I loved the different characters, from the hints of romance between Dylan and Annabelle, to her grudging friendship with Joseph and the hair standing up on the back of your neck monks; each had depth and merged to form a truly entertaining and exciting story. I can not wait to read the next book in the series to see where this story will lead.

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 lackluster stars

Annabelle's parents died. Then something bizarre happened. All of the color seeped out of her body, and she became invisible. Everyone she had ever known instantly forgot her. She wandered around unsure of what to do. Eventually there was one person who could see her. Magicians began snooping around. They couldn't see Annabelle but somehow they knew she existed.

The idea for this was good. The story itself was not. It took me quite a few days to get through this, which if you know me is not common. I was bored once the magicians started stalking Annabelle. There was obviously a lot going on in the world with gods, magicians and iconoclasts. None of it was explained well. Annabelle was an iconoclast, but WTH does that mean? What did the magicians really do other than hunt down anyone that was a threat? The gods didn't come into it until the end. Basically the world building sucked.

I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Annabelle was a stuck up bitch. She'd act down to Earth at times. Then she'd let loose and show her superiority because she was of a higher social class than the people she was interacting with. I sympathized with her at first. As the book went on I wished she would get over herself. She wasn't horribly snobby but just enough to annoy me. Dylan the guy who could see her was alright. He was nice and helpful but not terribly interesting. The other main character was Annabelle's cousin Anthony. Why the hell was he in the book? The story could have been altered slightly and would have been the same without him. At the very least he could have been in the story but didn't deserve many chapters from his POV.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is don't waste your time on this one.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had so much potential! The beginning of the book (prologue and first chapter) was so intriguing with mysterious murders and intrigue. Plus the character's mysterious magical element within this story (and the title) was unique and fascinating as I haven't seen that idea done before.

Unfortunately, those first couple of chapters were the best part of the book and it went downhill after that. The story was honestly just boring. I didn't feel like any part of it captured my attention: the story was dull and the characters were equally as dull. I actually fell asleep at least three times on different occasions while reading this book and that never happens to me. I usually find reading keeps me from sleeping, not the opposite by putting me to sleep.

If I were to "DNF" books, I definitely would have put this book down unfinished. Even after finishing it, I don't feel like I absorbed much of the overall story because it was not memorable. Unfortunately, this is definitely in the running for one of my worst reads in 2017.

**Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Amy Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.

I loved the creativity and world building of this novel. I did feel a lot was left unanswered and hope the next book in this series solves my curiosity. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style.

Annabelle lives in a world where magic has been destroyed by heretics and was worshipped on the same level as the gods. Her family fell under extreme financial trouble and quickly her parents both unexpectedly die.

Suddenly all color drains away from Annabelle. Not only does she become "colorless" but people have forgotten her. It's as if she never existed. Everything she touches loses its color too.

To regain her color she must defeat the magicians that cursed her and murdered her parents with her friend Dylan. The biggest problems? These magical monks can turn into wolves and the wolves are after Annabelle.

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and the publishers for a fair and honest review.

[Marguerite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars.


Colorless was a really fascinating and engaging tale, with a unique and intriguing premise, populated with engaging characters and strong voices. That being said, I did have a few issues with it, which I'll discuss below, and I have to say that the rating for this book will hinge a little on what happens in the sequels. I know that sounds confusing, but just wait, because I explain why below.

Starting with the characters, generally, all interesting, unique and vivid on the page. Colorless does indeed have multiple POV's (*gasp* noooooooooo), but I have to applaud the author because she really carries it well. I won't deny I cringed internally when I realized that this was a multiple POV book ( I think my tolerance is dropping. Annabelle really carried the story well, her voice was strong, intelligent, fiery and determined. I did have some issues with her (stopping/walking out when other characters were going to give her vital information or suddenly changing her mind and occasionally making super stupid decisions), but overall I found her fun to read and I felt connected to her struggles and journey. I was really worried for her in some parts especially! Dylan was a great counter voice and just super sweet! I just don't know how I feel towards Tony... meh I suppose. The secondary characters filled out the world well, but those three carry the book, and they do it wonderfully.

Plot wise, Colorless is a slow-build. The initial drama occurs, then a very slow build up to the climax. This isn't a bad thing and I certainly didn't have any difficulty reading the book, nor did I get bored, but this does feed into the reason why this 4 star rating depends on what happens in future books. Colorless was a fun book, but as a standalone, I would probably only rate this book 3 stars, because to be honest, there is a long journey to... nothing much. The ending felt super unsatisfactory for me, with hardly any of the questions raised in the book addressed at all. Combine that with the slower plot and I feel more neutral towards the entire experience. As a first, establishment book for a series, Colorless could be absolutely amazing. So, I've decided to judge this book on the idea that the series will really build, develop and bloom from henceforth. I have very high expectations.

Ah, now to the world-building. This was another cause for frustrations for me. Generally speaking, yes, I get the gist of the world/ society within Colorless, but to be honest, could this have been down a little better? Yes. I'm not denying that all the info is there, but a lot of this was revealed later on, or left a little too much up to the reader's imagination. I want the world to feel completely immersive and to do that, I have to understand it. I felt I only got 75% of the world rather than 100%. Maybe that is just me, and the world itself is really interesting and unique, with the religion aspects especially, but I just couldn't totally connect because I wasn't as certain about the relationships between the various groups.

Overall, would I recommend Colorless? If you're looking for an interesting and engaging approach to magic set within an alternative world with a powerful religious sector, drama, curses, mystery and a little romance dashed in, then Colorless is certainly for you! I'm certainly planning to read on, and my expectations are high for book 2 to deliver!

*Thank-you to the author, Rita Stradling and Net Galley for this ARC. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one... I LOVED Ensnared, Stradling's earlier title. She has a lovely writing style and her voice is such a delightful blend of lyrical magic and clear, concise storytelling. Unfortunately, after the opening chapters of this one, I felt like she lost that voice and the story - and its narration - began meandering in a way that ultimately lost me.

The premise to this one is great: a girl paying the price for some mysterious action of her parents, the way she bleeds color out of anything she touches, the disappearing that happens after she goes colorless with only one seemingly random person who can still see and hear her - all full of potential, particularly in the hands of a gifted storyteller like Rita Stradling... The opening chapters grabbed me right away and sucked me into this inventive and original world. But then, rather quickly after Annabelle met Marc, I just got lost and floundered from page to page, constantly putting it aside and hoping that it was just the mood I was in until eventually, after doing that about seven times, I finally concluded it just wasn't the book for me (at least not right now).

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Pikko's House to read and review.

I was drawn to Colorless because of it's gorgeous cover. I had relatively high expectations for this book and I found it to be quite interesting. I was reminded of the Greek gods with the world presented in Colorless. But I honestly feel as if the gods and magicians were not explained thoroughly enough. The world concept was good, but I feel like it was not entirely fleshed out well enough. I found myself a little confused at times, feeling as though an explanation was missing.

As for the idea of the iconoclasts, I didn't feel the same way. I feel as if this aspect of the book was done very well. I loved the description of the transformation as Annabelle lost her color. The description was so vivid and I thought that the idea was so cool and executed well. I loved that not only could other people not see her, but they that she, or anything that she had touched ever existed.

Colorless made for a rather interesting fantasy novel. It contained mostly original concepts, which is refreshing. I feel as if the market is overflowing with vampires and werewolves. I have read many books that feel as if they could be the same novel. But this felt new and fresh.

The characters were likable. I loved how stubborn Annabelle could be. I never found her overly haughty or annoying, as I often do with characters of nobility. The brothers were all enjoyable as well. I liked the banter back and forth that you only get within families. Another thing I loved about Annabelle was her loyalty to her cousin. She didn't allow anyone else to speak unkindly about him. It was clear that she valued family, which is a quality that I respect.

Overall, I think that it made for a good read. The world building could use a little work, but besides that it was an interesting, original and captivating tale. I would recommend to readers of fantasy and YA.

[Rendz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review: https://readingwithrendz.wordpress.co...

*I was provided a free digital copy from the Publisher via Net Galley. This in no way affects my opinion!*

First of all: Cover = Gorgeous. Secondly, the synopsis of this book really intrigued me. I mean a person who had no colour, who was invisible, but still very much alive! Hello intrigue. I liked this book, it was not what I was expecting especially with the whole magical system and religion, but there were a few things that I felt it was missing.

What I liked

Characters:

Annabelle: She was a good MC. She had to learn how to navigate herself in a society that couldn’t see her but was desperately trying to hunt her down. She was tough and a thorough thinker in her plans….they might not have always gone as planned but at least she thought them through! I liked that she was stubborn and a hard head but still believed she was ever so patient and what was “lady like” in her time. She was not outstandingly amazing, but she wasn’t completely annoying either. And easy medium really.

Dylan: Again nothing utterly amazing about him, but he did add a lot of humour and mystery as well. I don’t know exactly how I feel about him in terms of putting him at boy toy level…or just not. He was a renowned “rake” to many of the maids of the stable, but he wasn’t a complete asshole. How do I put this into words…he was tired of being perceived as solely a sex object and wanted to he treated as someone who has feelings and wanted a real relationship. Yeah….something like that. Well he fought his “rake” title, but good reputation is hard to build!

Other characters… There were Dylan’s brothers who added more mystery and intrigue. As the only people (plus their grandmother) who could see Annabelle without her colour they had to figure out ways to help her. One brother was slightly less inclined to help and often caused a hard time for our poor, colourless Annabelle. There was also Tony who actually was an asshole but for *reasons* so we kind of forgive him…?

Descriptions & Settings: The world that Annabelle lived in was really set out. Despite the fact that she was colourless, everything else was filled with colour and there were very beautiful descriptions of the scenery and people. Even when she became colourless I could clearly visualize the colour melting off of her as it was described so I really enjoyed that.

Those Snippets of Religious Text: What I really liked is that there were mini paragraphs every few chapters that explained some of the gods that were mentioned in this book. It gave insight into exactly what was being dealt with which I liked, especially since the gods aren’t really present in the story so we get to know them through other means. It also added more structure to the society that the characters were living in and what the beliefs of the people were.

What I Disliked:

A Whole Lot of Confusion: I was thoroughly confused at some parts of the story. I knew that the monks were bad and that they had the people very controlled with the magicians and fear of the gods. Still why did the author need to add in these wolves? *But Rendz they are mentioned in the synopsis* BUT I DON’T GET IT! Where did they come from? How is it that you are chosen to become a dire wolf? Like why are they relevant? To chase down the iconoclasts? Okay…and…? My second complaint. These iconoclasts, so they lose colour…okay. I’m following. How come only some can see them? Annabelle’s transformation into being colourless still confuses me!! I still don’t get why they are so evil in the eyes of the magicians. I know why the magicians are evil but still their motives for targeting the colourless confuses me.

And don’t even get me started with the printing press. I didn’t get that, not at all.

Memorability: Even though the story was super cool and there were some intriguing elements, the story fell flat in being memorable. Like it’s been a few days and I’m already starting to forget character names, events that are important parts of the plot. Maybe that’s why I’m having such a hard time answering those questions! It’s just not sticking to me and I wish it would because the ending was left open for a possible sequel….but I don’t exactly recall the actual ending of the book.

Yikes.

Overall, I did enjoy the book in the moment. It was magical, mysterious and very twisty. I did enjoy the magical elements and some of the more suspenseful events. Not to mention those monks were insanely creepy, but if I’m honest this book had me hooked in the moment not the moments after…sigh.

Rating: 2.75-3 / 5 Stars (In the moment 3…in the moments after 2.75)

Recommend: Sure. (Actually can someone read it and then explain things to me? Thanks)

[Sheila G · Rating 3 out of 5]

0.5 novella review: Hazel

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Annabelle's parents were murdered one night and when Annabelle was told the news, all her color fell off of her- literally, fell off until the grass until all that remained was gray. And then everyone forgot that Annabelle even existed and she was completely invisible. But strangely, when she touched something, the color would fall from the item making it just as colorless and forgettable. But Dylan the stable boy can still see her and he resolves to help her any way he can, regardless of the danger it puts him in.

​I think the concept for this story and ultimately this world was really cool and unique, with many Gods and Magicians and the different classes of people and curses. I would have loved to learn more about the pilgrimages and the dynamic of the Magicians in the society overall, as well as what the magicians were actually capable of and how they got to be so powerful. The hierarchy was unique and had a lot of potential for conflict and magic, which peaked my interest. I would be super interested to read a backstory ​of the iconaclasts and the magician history (every time the past of iconoclasts was hinted at my interest was 100% peaked).

Unfortunately, I was super confused a majority of the story. It was really hard to follow the plot and all the small nuances of the world, at times I gave up on trying to figure everything out and just go with the flow and hope that things would work out at the end. Some did, some didn't, some were never explained at all (I guess just facts I was suppose to accept?). I liked Dylan as a character and empathized with him (but the whole spiel about him being a pseudo ladies man was ridiculous and 100% not needed for the story), but I did not really care for Annabelle and her snooty ways as well as Tony and his selfishness and crazy paranoia.

I am not a huge fan of the narrator, she had her skill in creating very distinct voices so there was no doubt as to who was talking, but I did not really like all the voices. Annabelle and Dylan were well done characters, but Tony sounded like a drunk snob most of the time and the Monk voices were so drawn out, scratchy and low it was hard to understand their words- I got the gist of their menacing tone, so that was a plus, but the actual words at times I could not catch. I think I may have enjoyed the story more if I had read the book instead of listening to it because I found myself disconnecting at times, completely zoned out and unsure what I last heard so I had to rewind a lot.

The ending was the best part of the story for me, I wanted to cheer Annabelle on for her audacity and how everything was playing out. There were some loose ends that did not completely wrap up, but things seemed to be well enough resolved that I didn't feel like I was missing anything important. I felt like this was a standalone book, but after reading the book I discovered that there is a prequel (not sure if this will be ongoing or not). But there is definitely potential for more. This is the second book I have read from this author and I have learned that she is able to create completely new, unique worlds which I appreciate.

Visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ to take part in the book tour and giveaway

[SUZAN C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of Colorless from Rita Stradling's Street Team.

I'd like to begin by commending Rita Stradling's unique way of engaging a reader to be immediately drawn into the main character's life. As with her books, I feel as if I'm in the main character's thoughts and world and walk along with the character's journey. For this reason alone, reading Ms. Stradling's books are always a pleasure and makes it hard to put down her novels even for a short break.

The title of Colorless should be a clue to what the novel is about. In the world of Domengrad, magicians rule, monks dictate, and Gods and Goddesses are feared and revered. Set somewhere in the late 18th Century (and possibly the early Regency era), Colorless tells the story of Annabelle, a soon-to-be orphan whose parents died of unknown reasons. It's because of the mysterious death of her parents that we are taken on a roller coaster ride along with Annabelle as she tries to solve this mystery.

As the story progresses through this mystery, Annabelle goes on a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and discoveries and through some new friends as well as an old family friend, Annabelle learns of many new mysteries of Domengrad and the magicians. Mistaken as an iconoclast - a soulless entity that is feared by the magicians and hunted by the monks, Annabelle traverses unseen and unheard throughout the story until she meets three brothers and their odd grandmother. The brothers help her find out why she has lost all color in both body and everything she touches. Is it an after-effect of losing her parents? Or is it a curse brought on by the Gods?

Throughout the story, Annabelle grasps the fact that no one else remembers her or can see her. Her fiance and cousin also ends up helping her and even newer discoveries are made by Annabelle and her friends. While there is a bit of confusion on my part as to why Annabelle is "colorless", the author gives the readers bits of clues here and there and I feel I am the one who has to solve the mystery as well.

I won't delve too much into the story as that would give a lot away but I would recommend reading Hazel first if you can. Hazel was Annabelle's mom and is also in the beginning pages of Colorless where Annabelle's story starts. Again, I became a bit confused as to what happened to her parents and I hope that in the next installment of Colorless, we will get more clues to why and how Annabelle's parents died. I would like to assume that Annabelle's family is either blessed or cursed by the Gods and somehow has to repay whatever debts they owed. In the synopsis it does say that a debt must be paid in order for the mystery to be solved, but there are parts in the story where it is a bit unclear as to why the parents or even Annabelle had to suffer from this "debt". I personally didn't see that they did anything wrong in order to pay a debt. Hopefully we'll see more of this reason in the future installments.

I would definitely recommend Colorless as I stated earlier that Rita's books puts you instantly into the character's thoughts and life and you'll feel as if you're part of the story throughout. It's an engaging story and as you read further into it, there are surprises that are a definite delight!

I gave it a four star instead of a five star mainly because of the confusion to why Annabelle's parents had to die. If it was to pay off the "debt", I personally couldn't see what was so bad about it. There in itself lies the mystery because I wasn't entirely clear about the debt and why Annabelle had to become colorless in order to pay it off. Also, the magicians might have been more fleshed out as they are written to be feared but I really didn't get why they are so fearsome.

Thank you to Rita Stradling for the ARC of Colorless.

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

If no one can see you do you exist at all?

The day Annabelle Klein parents died her life changed forever. She watched with horror as the colour drained from her skin, her clothes, and everything she touched. She also became invisible. No one asked where she was, no missed her because they had forgotten she had existed in the first place.

Annabelle thought she was to spend the rest of her life as a living ghost.

Dylan Miller mourned the loss of his employers for Lord and Lady Klein were good people, but they also lived a secret life. A dangerous life. Unlike most, Dylan can see Annabelle, and he wants to help her. But dark forces are intent on finding Annabelle, and they will stop at nothing to destroy her.

Colorless by Rita Stradling is a page turning adventure in a dark world that is filled with secrets, danger, and mystery. Ms. Strandling has created a unique world, which did take a little bit of perseverance for me to get my head around, but once I did the story was gripping.

Colorless is told through alternative perspectives, which really worked for this book and gave a deeper insight into the characters themselves. I adored the characterisation of both Annabelle and Dylan. Annabelle is a very strong young woman, who loses everything and everyone, but she is determined to find the truth and to protect those who have risked so much to keep her safe. Likewise, Dylan, is a very honourable young man who will do absolutely anything to keep Annabelle safe. He is a very likable character, and I enjoyed reading about him. There is also a cast of supporting actors, and they helped to drive the story forward.

The world, in which our brave heroes live, is controlled by the Magicians’ monks who invade every part of everyone’s lives. They are feared. And they are determine to kill Annabelle, if only they could see her. They use threats and intimidation to get what they want. They were very chilling antagonists that were frighteningly evil. This is very much a dark verses the light story.

If you are looking for historical fantasy escapism then this is the book for you.

I Highly Recommend.

*I received a copy of this book, via Negalley, for review consideration.*

[Carole Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This caught my attention right away. The cover. The summary. All of it. I was able to get it on Audible so that worked just fine.



The story follows Annabelle. Her parents are killed and she is cursed. She loses all her colors and becomes invisible and is forgotten by all who know her. In order to restore her colors she must solve the mystery behind her parents' murder and WHY she was cursed. At the same time, forces beyond her control are hungry for power. The monks are on the hunt for her.



This was super original and I liked it a lot. I can't imagine losing my color and becoming a wraith in the world. Not seen. Not heard. Heck, not even remembered. Such a curse! And those monks! Creepy, creepy. Hate them.



The world was intriguing. I want more information and I want to understand more about these gods and magicians and Iconoclast. I would love to see more of the world through another person's eyes. We did get Annabelle's POV, Tony's POV, and Dylan's POV. But I think it would be interesting to get a book outside Annabelle's world. I know there is a prequel. Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on that.



My only complaint was how slow the narrative was. The story did move, but it took a while. I feel there were somethings and conversations that could've been snipped a touch to help speed things along.



The twist at the end was good! I didn't expect that at all. Cannot say, but I was surprised! Curious to see how that will play a part in the next book. Which...when is that coming out? I must know what happens next!!!!! WAH! THAT DARN CLIFF-HANGER!



The narrator was entertaining. Her guy voice made me chuckle especially for Tony...but it did fit. I liked her and I hope she narrates the next one. I am curious to see what else she has read.



Besides for the slow narrative, I really did enjoy the journey. It was unique and I want to read more in this world and even more by the author. I highly recommend it if you need something different. I'll give it 4 stars.

[grethe tozer · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the book … (from the blurb)

In Domengrad, there are rules all must live by: Fear the Gods. Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts.
To Annabelle Klein, the rules laid down by the Magicians are the mere ramblings of stuffy old men. As far as she’s concerned, the historic Iconoclasts, heretics who nearly destroyed the Magicians so long ago, are nothing but myth. She has much more important matters to worry about.
Heiress to a manor mortgaged down to its candlesticks and betrothed to her loathsome cousin, sixteen-year-old Annabelle doubts the gods could forsake her more.
Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colorless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her.
Living like a wraith in her own home, Annabelle discovers that to regain her color she must solve the mystery behind her parents’ murders and her strange transformation.
Meanwhile, hundreds of the Magicians’ monks, with their all-black eyes and conjoined minds, have usurped control of Annabelle’s family manor. An Iconoclast is rumored to be about—a person who they claim goes unseen, unheard, and lost to memory, yet is the greatest threat to all of Domengrad. For the first time in a hundred years, the monks plan to unleash the dire wolves of old.
Their only target: Annabelle.

I'm a big fan of YA books, especially where there's magic involved, so Colorless was always going to do it for me.

I really enjoyed Rita Stradling's style of writing, the world building is just right, enabling me to picture Domengrad so well.

The cast are given real depth, their characters build layer by layer as the the story progresses, From Anthony who I found loathsome in the beginning but pitied as I learnt more about him, and Annabelle who proves to be a brave heroine, rather than a simpering idiot waiting for the love interest to rescue her, to the monks, who had me feeling more uncomfortable at every appearance.

I particularly appreciate the fact that there's a romance budding between Annabelle, but that the author hasn't rushed them into instant love which can be tedious and unbelievable.

Because Colorless is the first book in a series the author has been able to take the time to build a unique, truly engaging story, it's one of the best Young Adult fantasy/magic books I've read in a long time, and I've read a lot.

I realised about a third of the way through the book that there must be a sequel and I was delighted because I'm not ready to leave Annabelle and co behind yet.

I wholeheartedly recommend Colorless and I'm giving it 5 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for good world building, interesting characters, and an intriguing story, unlike and I've read before.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Based off the description alone I wasn’t sure if I understood the premise of the book but I knew it had great reviews on Goodreads so I wanted to give it a try. The first few pages were a bit hard for me to get into/follow, but that might have been because I was reading it on my phone during my work break. Nonetheless, once Anabelle literally lost her color and her place in her world I was more than intrigued. I’d never read a story like this at all. Then, when certain people could see her and more mysteries started to unravel I was HOOKED.

 

Since the description is pretty vague about the details of the plot I don’t want to spoil anything. So instead I will rave about the characters. I LOVED everyone, minus the irredeemable monks/magicians. We get to hear the story from Anabelle (the colorless), Dylan (the stable boy), and Tony (the cousin)’s perspectives. It changes every chapter so I don’t think this is a spoiler. Anyway, let’s talk about them!

 

Anabelle was boring to me at first and somewhat unrelatable. Partly because we are thrown into her life at such a random moment and didn’t have much information about her. However, as we follow her on her journey to get her color back and solve the mystery surrounding her parent’s deaths, a more complete picture of Anabelle forms. She’s unwavering and ethical but with her moments of despair and fear. She’s given so much depth of character that I couldn’t put the book down because I needed to know how her story would end.

 

Tony, her cousin, was so hateful and annoying at first. An alcoholic with a bad tongue. Nonetheless, he too grows as the story progresses. He becomes 3 dimensional with twists to his own story that I loved. I won’t spoil anything because I feel his growth was the most shocking and tragic (to me).

 

Dylan, the stable boy and the bleeding heart. I loved him. Not only was he fully dimensional with his wide range of emotions but he was believable. None of his actions were out of character and I would go into details but it would spoil the many little twists of the story that made it so engaging. Dylan might not have had the most obvious character growth but it didn’t matter because he was already so open and aware of himself to begin with.

 

The only complaint I have is that this book might be the first of a series, in which case I NEED the next book to come out now. It wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, not with the epilogue. But I still wanted more. There are still so many answers I need and relationships I want to form.

 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories with a strong heroine, fantasy/magic elements, a strong plot that is not heavy on romance, and enjoyable, 3-dimensional characters.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minutes after hearing the news of her parents' mysterious deaths, all the color leaked out of Annabelle Klein. Not a speck of hair, skin, or clothing color remained in her. She was grey, and everything her bare skin touched became the same way. Not only that, but everyone but a select few remembered that Annabelle even existed. She was invisible, un-hearable, and forgotten.

Colorless ... wow. That was a unique idea. To have all the color leak out of a person like globs of paint and for the people watching to forget she was even there. It intrigued me, kept me guessing the entire book as to why that happened. At first I thought it could have been the grief of losing her parents, but there was much more to it than that. And then, consider how powerful a person could be who was invisible and could make other things disappear not only from sight but from memory. It would be amazing, which was why people were hunting Annabelle.

So the mystery was good, the idea was fantastic, and the world was intriguing. The rest of the book, however, was pretty stereotypical. The teen characters with hidden powers fighting against a terrible power system, this time with gods, magicians, and monks rather than a tyrannical government. Then the love triangle and the complexity of characters that is present in nearly all of the YA novels I have read. I mean, I liked the book well enough. I really liked the colorless idea, the unraveling of the mystery, and the world and settings. But it was not unique enough to set itself apart from all of the other YA fantasy romance novels.

If you would like to take a chance on this book, do so. I recommend it to fans of YA fantasy.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Fritz PA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so hate to admit this... but I didn't finish this. I loved the beginning and then somehow I lost the excitement to keep reading. This is the first that I've read by this author. I loved the cover, it's so gorgeous!!

[Ksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars

I was hooked since the first chapter. This was an imaginative tale about Gods and their children, and the magicians that sought to steal their powers in order to continue to rule.

Each of these characters are phenomenal. They have multiple layers about them that are fun to watch unfold. And they are never quite what you expected, even with the foreshadowing and hints scattered throughout.

I love the way Rita describes her world. It is unique, and the intrigue follows Annabelle throughout this story. You never get the full picture until the end, and even that leaves you with a few questions. Mainly background questions for me.

So here's hoping that Rita either writes another novella, or even a complete sequel. Because I do not want to leave Domengrad quite yet.

[Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

‘Colorless’ is a unique and intriguing read. Author Rita Stradling has invented a new type of Magician and reimagined Gods and religious beliefs from the four directions (East, West, North, and South). There are both supernatural and historical fiction elements to be found here.

From the blub:

“Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colorless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her.”

While the plot of this book follows Annabelle as she strives to unravel the mystery of what has happened to her family, several characters narrate throughout the book, providing different perspectives, which I found quite refreshing.

Once again, Stradling has created relatable characters, and through her skilled writing, each interaction and connection between them seem genuine.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com