#bookreview ~ Colorless #Historical #fantasy #YA @stradling_rita

Colorless

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.

What did I think of the book?

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 likeable 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.

Links for purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

Rita Stradling is the author of The Deception Dance series, the Dakota Kekoa series and The Fourteen Day Soul Detox Novella Serial. She has a BA in Art History and a particular love for modern and medieval art.

Rita lives with her husband and son in Northern California.

She has an insatiable novel addiction and mostly reads young adult and adult: romance, paranormal, urban fantasy and high fantasy.