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The Color Theory #3
Chromatic
Light is Found in Every Hue
Magus is dying from the inside out, and only the destruction of the barrier can save it. Even color magic can't defend against earthquakes, strange weather patterns, and erratic wildlife behavior.
After discovering hundreds of captive Yellow magic-users, Ava and Elm fight to set them free. However, new dangers and unexpected enemies await at every turn, forcing them to face their greatest challenges yet. The calamities inside the barrier slowly manifest in the outside world as well, pulling citizens from both sides of the battle into the fray. In this new war, they may not all make it out alive.
Elm and Ava must confront the growing darkness and create a future in a world that has been all but stripped of hope. Can Magus be restored, or is it already too late?
Magus is dying from the inside out, and only the destruction of the barrier can save it. Even color magic can't defend against earthquakes, strange weather patterns, and erratic wildlife behavior.
After discovering hundreds of captive Yellow magic-users, Ava and Elm fight to set them free. However, new dangers and unexpected enemies await at every turn, forcing them to face their greatest challenges yet. The calamities inside the barrier slowly manifest in the outside world as well, pulling citizens from both sides of the battle into the fray. In this new war, they may not all make it out alive.
Elm and Ava must confront the growing darkness and create a future in a world that has been all but stripped of hope. Can Magus be restored, or is it already too late?
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2024
8 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
September 18, 2024
3.5 stars, personally. Buddy read with the lovely Holly & Celestria ❤️💙💛
About this book:
“Light is Found in Every Hue
Magus is dying from the inside out, and only the destruction of the barrier can save it. Even color magic can't defend against earthquakes, strange weather patterns, and erratic wildlife behavior.
After discovering hundreds of captive Yellow magic-users, Ava and Elm fight to set them free. However, new dangers and unexpected enemies await at every turn, forcing them to face their greatest challenges yet. The calamities inside the barrier slowly manifest in the outside world as well, pulling citizens from both sides of the battle into the fray. In this new war, they may not all make it out alive.
Elm and Ava must confront the growing darkness and create a future in a world that has been all but stripped of hope. Can Magus be restored, or is it already too late?”
Series: Book #3 in “The Color Theory” trilogy. Review of Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- Elm hands his feelings over to a “higher power” at one point when upset; *Major Spoilers* ; Mentions of the Creator (in the last few chapters); A mention of a Holy Bible; A mention of meeting someone again who has passed; A mention of being blessed; A mention of people in this world being “created with three magic types” (later said by that they were created by the Creator of Magus);
*Note: There are magic and spells in this book and those words are used frequently: Everyone is classified into a type of color magic (Red, Blue, & Yellow) and have a special stone they wear to be able to draw from it’s power (they can also draw from items around them in their color and also have “colorsticks” to use); When all three color magics are used together, it can summon White Magic; Those with Yellow magic are able to get into someone’s head and plant suggestions to do something (similar to mind control and are also able to permanently destroy someone’s mind), do illusions (including to deceive others), & go into someone’s dreams; Yellow magic users’ abilities have been outlawed/banned because of the possible mind control & some are trying to genetically remove it from people; Ava and others cast spells for agility, strength, & healing (for herself and others, up to semi-detailed); Ava and other Yellow magic users are able to control someone’s mind, put suggestions in others’ minds to do something (also called manipulation), put some to sleep, & create illusions (this also happens to Ava with someone planting suggestions in her mind, up to semi-detailed); Ava and Elm goes into each other’s dreams and other people’s dreams (said to be entering the “dreamscape” and everyone has a “portal” to their dreams); Elm uses his Yellow magic to control others in a battle to have his enemies fight between themselves; Elm is able to create a fireball from his hands; Ava and the others use invisibility cloaks; Mentions of those using Yellow magic on someone and losing control to where the person goes insane; A few mentions of evil people & someone being “dark at the core”; A few mentions of a little girl calling Ava a “fairy” and using a magic wand; A couple mentions of luck; A mention of ghost story books.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn’, a ‘dumb’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘why the heck’, three ‘blasted’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Quite a lot of Being attacked/hit, Fighting, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Being attacked by giant creatures in a dream (up to semi-detailed); Being locked in a prison and a tank (*Major Spoilers* , all up to semi-detailed); Seeing deceased loved ones, thinking a loved one has died, & grief (no details on the bodies but up to semi-detailed on the grief); Seeing others killed, die, & take their final breaths (up to semi-detailed); Seeing others attacked, injured, in pain, blood/bleeding, & forced to attack others because of Yellow magic suggestions/controlling (up to semi-detailed); Earthquakes (up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler, but Suicidal Thought note* ; Villains use children as shields & are controlled to listen to them and do their bidding (Ava and the others refuse to fight or hurt the children); Villains easily kill others who are standing in their way & suck the magic power from others (up to semi-detailed); A main villain is genetically experimenting on people and using human test subjects (which make them look unhuman and disfigured while being in major pain, up to semi-detailed); *Major Spoilers* ; Elm uses his Yellow magic to control others in a battle to have his enemies fight between themselves; Ava uses someone’s blood (with the person’s permission) to fight with her Red magic power; Elm uses intimidation/threats on someone to get answers; Many mentions of others being held captive, tortured, murdered, & threatened (for their magic, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of wars, battles, attacks, people being captured, & murders/deaths; Mentions of earthquakes, fires, floods, injuries, & deaths (including murders to look connected to natural disasters); Mentions of human test subjects for a villain’s genetic experimentation & their pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of grief & deaths of loved ones (including deceased parents and grandparents & a mother for her missing son, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of child labor (that the villains doing in order to gather the children’s magic, though the children are mostly well-taken care of, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fighting, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of prisoners & jails; Mentions of people disappearing & children being taken away from their families; Mentions of ailments, pain, & implanted devices causing harm; Mentions of crimes & criminals; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & robberies; Mentions of hatred & deceit; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of possible executions; A few mentions of someone going insane because of Elm losing control when messing with her mind; A few mentions of possible drownings & being concerned for others drowning (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of a dog being mind-controlled and attacking his owner badly (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); A couple mentions of finding a dead body; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A mention of bullying;
*Note: A villain wants to erase history & get rid of anything yellow (including Yellow magic users); Mentions of hatred & prejudice towards those with Yellow magic (a couple on-page insults as well); Mentions of book titles & authors (classics); A mention of a brand name (Jell-O).
Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a nose nuzzle, two hand kisses, a cheek kiss, a head kiss, an almost (unwanted) kiss, three not-detailed kisses, and four barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Dancing, & Hand holding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Blushes; Ava is uncomfortable with two different guys trying to be too touchy with her (Elm stops one from kissing her and she bites another one when he grabs her, barely-above-not-detailed); Ava goes into a teenage boy’s dream for a test and feels a bit of guilt when he fawns over her (because she’s already with Elm); Elm thinks that he could smile at a young woman to persuade her, but does not; Mentions of crushes & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of handsome guys; A few mentions of winks; A mention of a couple being very close & touching; A mention of a woman’s feelings for a man; Love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Ava Locke, around age 18/19
-Elm
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One star
New Teens- One star
Early High School Teens- Three stars
Older High School Teens- Four stars
My personal Rating- Three stars (and a half)
{Ratings are based on content, not the magic elements as every family has different views on magic in books.}
It took me a bit to get into this book despite being curious to see how this series would wrap up. I think it was mainly because of trying to remember all the names and how everything was connected. That said, I was really glad it started right where the second book left off! I wish I would have to read these back to back though as very little is explained or people reintroduced. Good for binge reading, bad for those who had to wait in between releases. I feel like I should have reread at least the last few chapters of the prior book before starting this one.
This series a different kind of fantasy because it feels very normal, contemporary with mentions of personal devices (cell phones) and fried foods, but then there’s magic. It’s interesting because this feels like such a light fantasy world because it, so the plot feels light, but then you have the villains murdering and easily killing people because of and for their powers—including genetic experimenting on people—so there’s a bit of a heaviness to it.
Elm is, in all regards, an odd duck. He’s been tortured and held captive for years, but when he escapes he is a proper gentleman down to his cane and top hat. Most male leads in that situation would be the rough, gruff type even towards the main girl. Elm is completely the opposite so it’s a little strange (and perhaps unbelievable at times) but I have to admit that I do like that he isn’t the solemn type and has a sense of humor.
The faith content there at the end was interesting. I wish there would be been a little more of a build-up prior to that scene and explanation.
Overall, this might not be a new favorite fantasy series for me, but I did like a lot of parts about it. Definitely a binge-able trilogy and one best enjoyed back-to-back, but the last chapter and epilogue of this book made it better for me. Perhaps it was all wrapped up in a nice little bow, but I like bows so that’s a-okay with me. 😉
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Light is Found in Every Hue
Magus is dying from the inside out, and only the destruction of the barrier can save it. Even color magic can't defend against earthquakes, strange weather patterns, and erratic wildlife behavior.
After discovering hundreds of captive Yellow magic-users, Ava and Elm fight to set them free. However, new dangers and unexpected enemies await at every turn, forcing them to face their greatest challenges yet. The calamities inside the barrier slowly manifest in the outside world as well, pulling citizens from both sides of the battle into the fray. In this new war, they may not all make it out alive.
Elm and Ava must confront the growing darkness and create a future in a world that has been all but stripped of hope. Can Magus be restored, or is it already too late?”
Series: Book #3 in “The Color Theory” trilogy. Review of Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- Elm hands his feelings over to a “higher power” at one point when upset; *Major Spoilers* ; Mentions of the Creator (in the last few chapters); A mention of a Holy Bible; A mention of meeting someone again who has passed; A mention of being blessed; A mention of people in this world being “created with three magic types” (later said by that they were created by the Creator of Magus);
*Note: There are magic and spells in this book and those words are used frequently: Everyone is classified into a type of color magic (Red, Blue, & Yellow) and have a special stone they wear to be able to draw from it’s power (they can also draw from items around them in their color and also have “colorsticks” to use); When all three color magics are used together, it can summon White Magic; Those with Yellow magic are able to get into someone’s head and plant suggestions to do something (similar to mind control and are also able to permanently destroy someone’s mind), do illusions (including to deceive others), & go into someone’s dreams; Yellow magic users’ abilities have been outlawed/banned because of the possible mind control & some are trying to genetically remove it from people; Ava and others cast spells for agility, strength, & healing (for herself and others, up to semi-detailed); Ava and other Yellow magic users are able to control someone’s mind, put suggestions in others’ minds to do something (also called manipulation), put some to sleep, & create illusions (this also happens to Ava with someone planting suggestions in her mind, up to semi-detailed); Ava and Elm goes into each other’s dreams and other people’s dreams (said to be entering the “dreamscape” and everyone has a “portal” to their dreams); Elm uses his Yellow magic to control others in a battle to have his enemies fight between themselves; Elm is able to create a fireball from his hands; Ava and the others use invisibility cloaks; Mentions of those using Yellow magic on someone and losing control to where the person goes insane; A few mentions of evil people & someone being “dark at the core”; A few mentions of a little girl calling Ava a “fairy” and using a magic wand; A couple mentions of luck; A mention of ghost story books.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn’, a ‘dumb’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘why the heck’, three ‘blasted’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Quite a lot of Being attacked/hit, Fighting, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Being attacked by giant creatures in a dream (up to semi-detailed); Being locked in a prison and a tank (*Major Spoilers* , all up to semi-detailed); Seeing deceased loved ones, thinking a loved one has died, & grief (no details on the bodies but up to semi-detailed on the grief); Seeing others killed, die, & take their final breaths (up to semi-detailed); Seeing others attacked, injured, in pain, blood/bleeding, & forced to attack others because of Yellow magic suggestions/controlling (up to semi-detailed); Earthquakes (up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler, but Suicidal Thought note* ; Villains use children as shields & are controlled to listen to them and do their bidding (Ava and the others refuse to fight or hurt the children); Villains easily kill others who are standing in their way & suck the magic power from others (up to semi-detailed); A main villain is genetically experimenting on people and using human test subjects (which make them look unhuman and disfigured while being in major pain, up to semi-detailed); *Major Spoilers* ; Elm uses his Yellow magic to control others in a battle to have his enemies fight between themselves; Ava uses someone’s blood (with the person’s permission) to fight with her Red magic power; Elm uses intimidation/threats on someone to get answers; Many mentions of others being held captive, tortured, murdered, & threatened (for their magic, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of wars, battles, attacks, people being captured, & murders/deaths; Mentions of earthquakes, fires, floods, injuries, & deaths (including murders to look connected to natural disasters); Mentions of human test subjects for a villain’s genetic experimentation & their pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of grief & deaths of loved ones (including deceased parents and grandparents & a mother for her missing son, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of child labor (that the villains doing in order to gather the children’s magic, though the children are mostly well-taken care of, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fighting, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of prisoners & jails; Mentions of people disappearing & children being taken away from their families; Mentions of ailments, pain, & implanted devices causing harm; Mentions of crimes & criminals; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & robberies; Mentions of hatred & deceit; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of possible executions; A few mentions of someone going insane because of Elm losing control when messing with her mind; A few mentions of possible drownings & being concerned for others drowning (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of a dog being mind-controlled and attacking his owner badly (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); A couple mentions of finding a dead body; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A mention of bullying;
*Note: A villain wants to erase history & get rid of anything yellow (including Yellow magic users); Mentions of hatred & prejudice towards those with Yellow magic (a couple on-page insults as well); Mentions of book titles & authors (classics); A mention of a brand name (Jell-O).
Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a nose nuzzle, two hand kisses, a cheek kiss, a head kiss, an almost (unwanted) kiss, three not-detailed kisses, and four barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Dancing, & Hand holding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Blushes; Ava is uncomfortable with two different guys trying to be too touchy with her (Elm stops one from kissing her and she bites another one when he grabs her, barely-above-not-detailed); Ava goes into a teenage boy’s dream for a test and feels a bit of guilt when he fawns over her (because she’s already with Elm); Elm thinks that he could smile at a young woman to persuade her, but does not; Mentions of crushes & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of handsome guys; A few mentions of winks; A mention of a couple being very close & touching; A mention of a woman’s feelings for a man; Love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Ava Locke, around age 18/19
-Elm
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One star
New Teens- One star
Early High School Teens- Three stars
Older High School Teens- Four stars
My personal Rating- Three stars (and a half)
{Ratings are based on content, not the magic elements as every family has different views on magic in books.}
It took me a bit to get into this book despite being curious to see how this series would wrap up. I think it was mainly because of trying to remember all the names and how everything was connected. That said, I was really glad it started right where the second book left off! I wish I would have to read these back to back though as very little is explained or people reintroduced. Good for binge reading, bad for those who had to wait in between releases. I feel like I should have reread at least the last few chapters of the prior book before starting this one.
This series a different kind of fantasy because it feels very normal, contemporary with mentions of personal devices (cell phones) and fried foods, but then there’s magic. It’s interesting because this feels like such a light fantasy world because it, so the plot feels light, but then you have the villains murdering and easily killing people because of and for their powers—including genetic experimenting on people—so there’s a bit of a heaviness to it.
Elm is, in all regards, an odd duck. He’s been tortured and held captive for years, but when he escapes he is a proper gentleman down to his cane and top hat. Most male leads in that situation would be the rough, gruff type even towards the main girl. Elm is completely the opposite so it’s a little strange (and perhaps unbelievable at times) but I have to admit that I do like that he isn’t the solemn type and has a sense of humor.
The faith content there at the end was interesting. I wish there would be been a little more of a build-up prior to that scene and explanation.
Overall, this might not be a new favorite fantasy series for me, but I did like a lot of parts about it. Definitely a binge-able trilogy and one best enjoyed back-to-back, but the last chapter and epilogue of this book made it better for me. Perhaps it was all wrapped up in a nice little bow, but I like bows so that’s a-okay with me. 😉
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 18, 2024
4 ½ stars 🌟
September 15, 2024
3.75⭐️
First Person
First Person
July 13, 2024
The first two of these were fairly meh to me, but this one made me realize just how attached I'd gotten to these characters and this world. The library sent it back early and I was genuinely frustrated until I got it back. I loved this finale so much.
August 16, 2024
A wonderful ending to a captivating trilogy!
November 22, 2023
Y’all are not ready for this and also it is everything you hope it will be 🌻🦋❤️
December 14, 2025
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
This review contains a few random statistics, my personal thoughts, and a content review! ♡
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
• Book - Chromatic • Author - Ashley Bustamante • Pages - Paperback, 333 • Genre(s) - YA fantasy dystopian • Published - 2024 • Trope(s) - Found family • Recommended time to read - March
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
→ Setting - 5/5 → Characters - 5/5 → Writing - 5/5 → Cover - 4/5 → Vibes - 5/5 → Plot - 5/5 → Romance/Ship - 5/5 → Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
♫ Now Playing - Dandelions by Ruth B. ♫
═════════════════
╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
*dramatically clutches my heart while staring longingly into the distance*
I can’t believe it’s over. This wonderful, beautiful trilogy has now been finished. I first entered the world of Magus in November 2024. I had purchased the first book with intentions of reading and annotating it as a gift to my best friend. Now, December 2025, I have just read the last words to ever be written for Magus and its inhabitants.
Words alone cannot express my deep adoration of this series. The characters feel more real than any others, and the messages will stick with me forever.
I wish I never had to finish reading this, though that epilogue might’ve been worth it. It was so perfect.
Most of my thoughts about this book contain spoilers so if you haven’t read this book, regretfully you’ll have to stop reading this review here.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Spoilers below!
Oh. My. Gosh. What did I just read? One of the easiest five stars I have ever handed out. This book made me feel so many emotions all tangled into the span of just 333 pages.
To start off the book felt very akin to Radiant. Same vibe, and similar plot points, but then it started to change a bit.
I cried many times while reading this. The first was when Blake’s parents died. I was never a huge fan of Blake, but I definitely warmed up to him as the series went on, and seeing his grief really made me feel bad for him.
Ava and Elm promising not to separate just to be forcefully taken away from each other was heartbreaking. I felt like their relationship was shown so vividly in this book with actions alone. My heart was also exploding when they got engaged. I wasn’t expecting that at all but it made me smile quite a lot.
Switching to Elm’s POV wasn’t as jarring as I thought it would be. Ashley did a wonderful job of writing it, keeping Elm’s distinct character voice. It was amazing to see his love for Ava from his side as well. He would do anything for her, and they’ll forever be my roman empire.
When Ava had the encounter with Magus’ creator, it felt so real. Again it was written so beautifully. The intricacies of Ashley’s writing in this particular Color Theory book really blew me away.
Selene’s death threw me off guard a little. Ava referred to her as having a change of heart in the last moment. I didn’t really see it that way, but I do hope that’s how it was.
And now for the one thing about this book I will absolutely never recover from. That epilogue. This hit me even harder than the epilogues from Mockingjay and SOTR. Seeing Ava and Elm with a young daughter felt so right. Of course Elm would be a girl dad. And also hearing that Nikki and Blake had a baby, and Kaito and Blanca were getting married it just… ugh my heart. I don’t think I can take anymore. So beautiful and perfect and absolutely right.
An amazing end to an amazing trilogy. I will forever be recommending these books to everyone, and while I’m so sad that I have officially finished these books, it feels amazing to finally be able to say I read all three!
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Content review
➸ Age Rating - 13+
➸ Language - None.
➸ Romance/Sexual - A couple non descriptive kisses, at first Jayden touches Ava in ways that aren’t sexual but still make her uncomfortable (touching her hand, hugging her), later in the book he advances on her but Selene stops and reprimands him before he can do anything but make her nervous, Ava goes into a dream of a teenage boy and is worried and guilty when he finds her beautiful, he tried to kiss her but Elm interrupts.
➸ Violence - Up to moderate fantasy violence, overall the book seems to have a lighter feel to it, even when the events are not light at all. Fighting and injuries occur, deaths of a couple characters, Ava wonders if she should kill herself to stop the Benefactors from taking her power, Selene is preforming genetic manipulation on people.
➸ Religious/Spiritual - A mention of The Holy Bible, once Elm gives his feelings to “a higher power”, and there’s a pretty big scene when Ava has an interaction with the Creator of Magus.
➸ Magic - Very prevalent in the story. All the characters have some sort of magic, which they gain from draining their designated colors from items or stones with unlimited power.
➸ LGBTQ - None.
• Book - Chromatic • Author - Ashley Bustamante • Pages - Paperback, 333 • Genre(s) - YA fantasy dystopian • Published - 2024 • Trope(s) - Found family • Recommended time to read - March
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
→ Setting - 5/5 → Characters - 5/5 → Writing - 5/5 → Cover - 4/5 → Vibes - 5/5 → Plot - 5/5 → Romance/Ship - 5/5 → Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
♫ Now Playing - Dandelions by Ruth B. ♫
═════════════════
╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
*dramatically clutches my heart while staring longingly into the distance*
I can’t believe it’s over. This wonderful, beautiful trilogy has now been finished. I first entered the world of Magus in November 2024. I had purchased the first book with intentions of reading and annotating it as a gift to my best friend. Now, December 2025, I have just read the last words to ever be written for Magus and its inhabitants.
Words alone cannot express my deep adoration of this series. The characters feel more real than any others, and the messages will stick with me forever.
I wish I never had to finish reading this, though that epilogue might’ve been worth it. It was so perfect.
Most of my thoughts about this book contain spoilers so if you haven’t read this book, regretfully you’ll have to stop reading this review here.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Spoilers below!
Oh. My. Gosh. What did I just read? One of the easiest five stars I have ever handed out. This book made me feel so many emotions all tangled into the span of just 333 pages.
To start off the book felt very akin to Radiant. Same vibe, and similar plot points, but then it started to change a bit.
I cried many times while reading this. The first was when Blake’s parents died. I was never a huge fan of Blake, but I definitely warmed up to him as the series went on, and seeing his grief really made me feel bad for him.
Ava and Elm promising not to separate just to be forcefully taken away from each other was heartbreaking. I felt like their relationship was shown so vividly in this book with actions alone. My heart was also exploding when they got engaged. I wasn’t expecting that at all but it made me smile quite a lot.
Switching to Elm’s POV wasn’t as jarring as I thought it would be. Ashley did a wonderful job of writing it, keeping Elm’s distinct character voice. It was amazing to see his love for Ava from his side as well. He would do anything for her, and they’ll forever be my roman empire.
When Ava had the encounter with Magus’ creator, it felt so real. Again it was written so beautifully. The intricacies of Ashley’s writing in this particular Color Theory book really blew me away.
Selene’s death threw me off guard a little. Ava referred to her as having a change of heart in the last moment. I didn’t really see it that way, but I do hope that’s how it was.
And now for the one thing about this book I will absolutely never recover from. That epilogue. This hit me even harder than the epilogues from Mockingjay and SOTR. Seeing Ava and Elm with a young daughter felt so right. Of course Elm would be a girl dad. And also hearing that Nikki and Blake had a baby, and Kaito and Blanca were getting married it just… ugh my heart. I don’t think I can take anymore. So beautiful and perfect and absolutely right.
An amazing end to an amazing trilogy. I will forever be recommending these books to everyone, and while I’m so sad that I have officially finished these books, it feels amazing to finally be able to say I read all three!
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Content review
➸ Age Rating - 13+
➸ Language - None.
➸ Romance/Sexual - A couple non descriptive kisses, at first Jayden touches Ava in ways that aren’t sexual but still make her uncomfortable (touching her hand, hugging her), later in the book he advances on her but Selene stops and reprimands him before he can do anything but make her nervous, Ava goes into a dream of a teenage boy and is worried and guilty when he finds her beautiful, he tried to kiss her but Elm interrupts.
➸ Violence - Up to moderate fantasy violence, overall the book seems to have a lighter feel to it, even when the events are not light at all. Fighting and injuries occur, deaths of a couple characters, Ava wonders if she should kill herself to stop the Benefactors from taking her power, Selene is preforming genetic manipulation on people.
➸ Religious/Spiritual - A mention of The Holy Bible, once Elm gives his feelings to “a higher power”, and there’s a pretty big scene when Ava has an interaction with the Creator of Magus.
➸ Magic - Very prevalent in the story. All the characters have some sort of magic, which they gain from draining their designated colors from items or stones with unlimited power.
➸ LGBTQ - None.
April 6, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this book for being on the author's street team. A review was not required. The following review is my honest opinion.
This series has been a pleasant surprise from the beginning. I initially planned to skip it until I found out that it takes place in a futuristic Bermuda Triangle where people who live there long enough develop color magic abilities. Book 1, Vivid, grabbed me and made me fall in love with this world and the characters. Book 2, Radiant had a couple bumps in the road at the beginning (it also seemed to be hit-or-miss for many fellow readers), but I ultimately loved the ending and was very excited for book 3. I'm happy to say that book 3, Chromatic, did not disappoint.
Radiant ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I was very glad that Chromatic started right back up at that same point and kept the story going. It's very hard to talk about the third book in a trilogy without spoilers, but yowza, Ava, Elm (I forgot between books how funny he can be! And also loyal and such a great match for Ava. ❤️), and friends really had a lot to overcome here. There were many ups and downs, but I loved the way they worked together and found new allies (even in very unexpected places) to eventually have things work out in the end. There were some really great plot twists that had me gasping. Several moments had me a bit worried, LOL, but the ending was worth it. ❤️ I especially loved that some Christian themes came through near the end! I can't say exactly what happened due to it being a MASSIVE spoiler, but it was beautiful and I love what it added to the world and the characters' journeys.
Overall, I really enjoyed this trilogy to the point that I can see myself getting physical copies and rereading them in the future. This final book was my favorite of all of them. It's such a creative world and I wouldn't mind seeing further adventures set there someday if the author was willing. But the story wraps up in a way that is so satisfying I also kind of just want our characters to remain happily ever after. 😊 Either way, I'm definitely going to be watching Ashley Bustamante's career and look forward to whatever new stories she has coming next!
Content Advisory:
I have done my best to describe the content in the following sections without spoilers, but I have used spoiler tags where necessary.
Language:
None.
Sexual/Romance:
Ava and Elm continue their romantic relationship. They flirt (nothing sexual, only sweet and cute) and kiss multiple times throughout the book, but the descriptions are always brief, if the kisses are described at all. Things never go beyond kissing, either.
Other teen characters are known to be couples, but there is very little focus on their relationships here.
Violence:
Many violent threats get thrown about, and the main characters are frequently in danger of harm. Ava and her friends get wounded at various points in the story, usually due to getting attacked by people who want to stop them. (Objects and punches get thrown at various points.) Red magic allows them to be healed so these injuries are usually not fatal, but they can be painful. Injuries include cuts, bruises, and the occasional broken bone. Pain is often described, but the injuries are typically not described or only described briefly. Any time that blood is mentioned, it is only briefly.
A house collapses on a couple. Their deaths are not described. It's simply stated that their bodies were found under the rubble.
A man has a memory-erasing device removed from his body (magically, not surgically) and the event is painful. His pain reaction is described until someone uses yellow magic to ease it.
An antagonist is revealed to be doing terrible genetic experiments in which humans are given things like wheels that deploy out of their feet when their heart rate raises. (A person with this modification chases Ava and Elm.) Another person seems to have stone (like the ones used to charge up color magic) embedded in their skin. The experiments themselves are never described, though. Ava and Elm only ever see people who have already been experimented on.
An unfortunate subject of experimentation apparently was supposed to sprout blades from his body which he could use to attack Ava and Elm, but this...er... doesn't go well and he dies painfully. This violent death is not described. Ava and Elm simply react in horror when it happens and it's stated that the man is too badly injured for Ava to heal him with red magic. Elm uses yellow magic to ease the man's suffering until the man dies.
Someone injects himself with a serum that turns him into a hideous and powerful monstrosity, but the transformation is apparently quite painful as his pain reaction is described. His appearance, with stone, glass, and metal poking out of his skin, is described.
Someone gets impaled right in front of Ava in what is probably the most PG-13 moment of violence in the trilogy. The death is described only briefly, but it is described, with mentions of blood, including blood on the hands of someone who tries to save them.
Someone falls off a cliff. Not described.
Drug/Alcohol
A drug for pain makes someone sleepy.
Spiritual/Magical:
The use of color magic continues throughout this book. If you were okay with the handling of this in the previous two books, then there is simply more of the same here.
The previous two books had little, if any spiritual content, but this one brings in some Christian spiritual themes. For one thing, Ava and friends meet someone who has collected books from the old world that he sees as important. Some of these books are well known fiction titles, but some, like The Diary of Anne Frank, are non-fiction, and The Holy Bible is mentioned, too. Ava expresses a desire to read all of these books, and it's implied that she eventually does.
As the story goes on, themes about all of creation and all people having a purpose come up. At one point, something significant happens and Ava hears a voice that she realizes is the Creator of all things. It is stated outright that He created Magus, the whole world, and all people, and that he gave people in Magus their gifts of color magic. It is also stated that He has a purpose for all people and a plan for everything that has happened, and that evil cannot win and was never going to win. Her experience with the Creator helps her to extend mercy to someone who doesn't deserve it.
After her encounter with the Creator, Ava expresses a belief that Elm will see his (deceased) parents again someday.
Other:
There are SPOILERS here. I mean it. Don't click this unless you want to be spoiled for the end of book two!!! At the end of book 2, Ava and Elm discovered that Seline has been keeping captive and using them for her own ends. None of them are ever physically harmed, but they are apparently manipulated into using their magic to harm others, physically, and via mind control.
This series has been a pleasant surprise from the beginning. I initially planned to skip it until I found out that it takes place in a futuristic Bermuda Triangle where people who live there long enough develop color magic abilities. Book 1, Vivid, grabbed me and made me fall in love with this world and the characters. Book 2, Radiant had a couple bumps in the road at the beginning (it also seemed to be hit-or-miss for many fellow readers), but I ultimately loved the ending and was very excited for book 3. I'm happy to say that book 3, Chromatic, did not disappoint.
Radiant ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I was very glad that Chromatic started right back up at that same point and kept the story going. It's very hard to talk about the third book in a trilogy without spoilers, but yowza, Ava, Elm (I forgot between books how funny he can be! And also loyal and such a great match for Ava. ❤️), and friends really had a lot to overcome here. There were many ups and downs, but I loved the way they worked together and found new allies (even in very unexpected places) to eventually have things work out in the end. There were some really great plot twists that had me gasping. Several moments had me a bit worried, LOL, but the ending was worth it. ❤️ I especially loved that some Christian themes came through near the end! I can't say exactly what happened due to it being a MASSIVE spoiler, but it was beautiful and I love what it added to the world and the characters' journeys.
Overall, I really enjoyed this trilogy to the point that I can see myself getting physical copies and rereading them in the future. This final book was my favorite of all of them. It's such a creative world and I wouldn't mind seeing further adventures set there someday if the author was willing. But the story wraps up in a way that is so satisfying I also kind of just want our characters to remain happily ever after. 😊 Either way, I'm definitely going to be watching Ashley Bustamante's career and look forward to whatever new stories she has coming next!
Content Advisory:
I have done my best to describe the content in the following sections without spoilers, but I have used spoiler tags where necessary.
Language:
None.
Sexual/Romance:
Ava and Elm continue their romantic relationship. They flirt (nothing sexual, only sweet and cute) and kiss multiple times throughout the book, but the descriptions are always brief, if the kisses are described at all. Things never go beyond kissing, either.
Other teen characters are known to be couples, but there is very little focus on their relationships here.
Violence:
Many violent threats get thrown about, and the main characters are frequently in danger of harm. Ava and her friends get wounded at various points in the story, usually due to getting attacked by people who want to stop them. (Objects and punches get thrown at various points.) Red magic allows them to be healed so these injuries are usually not fatal, but they can be painful. Injuries include cuts, bruises, and the occasional broken bone. Pain is often described, but the injuries are typically not described or only described briefly. Any time that blood is mentioned, it is only briefly.
A house collapses on a couple. Their deaths are not described. It's simply stated that their bodies were found under the rubble.
A man has a memory-erasing device removed from his body (magically, not surgically) and the event is painful. His pain reaction is described until someone uses yellow magic to ease it.
An antagonist is revealed to be doing terrible genetic experiments in which humans are given things like wheels that deploy out of their feet when their heart rate raises. (A person with this modification chases Ava and Elm.) Another person seems to have stone (like the ones used to charge up color magic) embedded in their skin. The experiments themselves are never described, though. Ava and Elm only ever see people who have already been experimented on.
An unfortunate subject of experimentation apparently was supposed to sprout blades from his body which he could use to attack Ava and Elm, but this...er... doesn't go well and he dies painfully. This violent death is not described. Ava and Elm simply react in horror when it happens and it's stated that the man is too badly injured for Ava to heal him with red magic. Elm uses yellow magic to ease the man's suffering until the man dies.
Someone injects himself with a serum that turns him into a hideous and powerful monstrosity, but the transformation is apparently quite painful as his pain reaction is described. His appearance, with stone, glass, and metal poking out of his skin, is described.
Someone gets impaled right in front of Ava in what is probably the most PG-13 moment of violence in the trilogy. The death is described only briefly, but it is described, with mentions of blood, including blood on the hands of someone who tries to save them.
Someone falls off a cliff. Not described.
Drug/Alcohol
A drug for pain makes someone sleepy.
Spiritual/Magical:
The use of color magic continues throughout this book. If you were okay with the handling of this in the previous two books, then there is simply more of the same here.
The previous two books had little, if any spiritual content, but this one brings in some Christian spiritual themes. For one thing, Ava and friends meet someone who has collected books from the old world that he sees as important. Some of these books are well known fiction titles, but some, like The Diary of Anne Frank, are non-fiction, and The Holy Bible is mentioned, too. Ava expresses a desire to read all of these books, and it's implied that she eventually does.
As the story goes on, themes about all of creation and all people having a purpose come up. At one point, something significant happens and Ava hears a voice that she realizes is the Creator of all things. It is stated outright that He created Magus, the whole world, and all people, and that he gave people in Magus their gifts of color magic. It is also stated that He has a purpose for all people and a plan for everything that has happened, and that evil cannot win and was never going to win. Her experience with the Creator helps her to extend mercy to someone who doesn't deserve it.
After her encounter with the Creator, Ava expresses a belief that Elm will see his (deceased) parents again someday.
Other:
There are SPOILERS here. I mean it. Don't click this unless you want to be spoiled for the end of book two!!! At the end of book 2, Ava and Elm discovered that Seline has been keeping captive and using them for her own ends. None of them are ever physically harmed, but they are apparently manipulated into using their magic to harm others, physically, and via mind control.
September 14, 2024
《"It's a beautiful world."》
♡ava: the girl who's magic could save them
♡elm: the boy who's illusions could fool them all
~~~review:
An enjoyable and colorful conclusion to the series, Chromatic was reasonably predictable, but still a fun, clean YA fantasy with romance. The magical fight scenes were interesting, and Elm of course was wonderful (with unhinged Elm being terrifyingly amazing). I did get some Loki/Sylvie/Scarlet Witch vibes in certain scenes (not that I minded, and I now picture Sammy as Sylvie).
~~~content:
Some violence/fighting/murder, nothing too graphic.
Some kissing.
~~~ages 14+
♡ava: the girl who's magic could save them
♡elm: the boy who's illusions could fool them all
~~~review:
An enjoyable and colorful conclusion to the series, Chromatic was reasonably predictable, but still a fun, clean YA fantasy with romance. The magical fight scenes were interesting, and Elm of course was wonderful (with unhinged Elm being terrifyingly amazing). I did get some Loki/Sylvie/Scarlet Witch vibes in certain scenes (not that I minded, and I now picture Sammy as Sylvie).
~~~content:
Some violence/fighting/murder, nothing too graphic.
Some kissing.
~~~ages 14+
January 3, 2025
This was probably my favorite book in the series, as usual with me because I just love happy endings and satisfying resolutions. I really loved how Elm and Ava’s characters progressed through this story and how they both learned to work on their own as well as be stronger together. There was a point that I just couldn’t see how things would end well but it did! And it was such a relief! All in all this is a great fantasy series with strong themes of friendship, love and, sacrifice. I really enjoy the magic system as well as all of the side characters. I’d happily own this series to put on my shelves!
May 12, 2024
I probably should have gone back and reread the previous two books before starting this one. After figuring everything out I was able to just enjoy the plot and remember how much I like these characters. The end of the book was very satisfying especially the Epilogue. Overall I’m quite sad that this series is over but I’m glad it ended on a happy note. Personally id rate the whole series 4.5 stars ⭐️
May 1, 2025
All in all, this was an enjoyable read. (Well, listen. I did the audiobook.)
A few things kept me from giving it 4 stars, though. For one, I did not care for Elm, and he was a main character. I didn’t like his showboat personality, and felt that that aspect of him pretty much encapsulated who he was. I felt that he needed more development over the series, not just in a small section of the climax.
I also felt that a couple of things were quite abrupt. A character’s sudden and drastic change of heart needed some lead-in. And the faith element of there being a Creator and the Creator’s involvement in the climax was also too sudden. I was at the point where I had decided there were no faith elements in these stories, but then right at the climax, it was brought in for a brief scene. Then pretty much gone again.
I enjoyed the series, but I probably enjoyed it as much as I did because I listened to the audiobook while doing other things. I don’t think it would have held my attention as much if I had read a print edition.
A few things kept me from giving it 4 stars, though. For one, I did not care for Elm, and he was a main character. I didn’t like his showboat personality, and felt that that aspect of him pretty much encapsulated who he was. I felt that he needed more development over the series, not just in a small section of the climax.
I also felt that a couple of things were quite abrupt. A character’s sudden and drastic change of heart needed some lead-in. And the faith element of there being a Creator and the Creator’s involvement in the climax was also too sudden. I was at the point where I had decided there were no faith elements in these stories, but then right at the climax, it was brought in for a brief scene. Then pretty much gone again.
I enjoyed the series, but I probably enjoyed it as much as I did because I listened to the audiobook while doing other things. I don’t think it would have held my attention as much if I had read a print edition.
June 9, 2024
A gripping, page-turning, and heart-touching finale to a new favourite trilogy! I adore the characters so much, and I love the twists and layers of this last book. A few tears were shed, and I'm sorry to say goodbye to these characters... but not forever--this will be a definite re-read!
March 30, 2024
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
Chromatic, the final installment of the Color Theory series, gave me the satisfying conclusion I was hoping for.
In the Color Theory series, Bustamante writes an action-filled magical adventure in which characters are called upon to save the world, evil must be vanquished, and truth brought to light. World-building and character development is superb, and the story amazing!
Chromatic picks up right where Radiant (book 2) ended (on a cliffhanger). Being the final book in the Color Theory series, I do recommend you first read Vivid and then Radiant before picking up Chromatic or you will likely feel lost. A lot of world-building and character development happens in those first 2 books.
In Chromatic, we find out more about what Selene has been up to. The conflicting views about yellow magic continue to cause havoc. We learn more about Magus. And we meet a few new characters that add depth and interest to the story too!
Ava, Elm, and company once again are on a mission within the barrier as Magus itself is showing signs that all’s not right with their world. They know Selene and the Benefactors need to be stopped before it’s too late.
But how? Do they have what it takes?
Read this series to find out!
I enjoyed this series a lot! Themes include discovering that everything can work together for good, finding one’s purpose, and depending on others. Older teens (15+) and adult readers who like YA fantasy (plus a little sweet romance) might enjoy this series too.
Discernment for Chromatic: there are a few sweet kisses, some characters are injured, some injuries are described, a few characters are killed, and there’s quite a bit of magical violence. Also, Magus’s God-character is revealed (up to this point, there hadn’t been any God-like character in the story), but my personal opinion is that I wish this God-character could have been revealed earlier in the series and been given more character development.
Overall, I highly recommend this series!
(I received an ebook ARC of Chromatic from the publisher and/or author. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.)
Chromatic, the final installment of the Color Theory series, gave me the satisfying conclusion I was hoping for.
In the Color Theory series, Bustamante writes an action-filled magical adventure in which characters are called upon to save the world, evil must be vanquished, and truth brought to light. World-building and character development is superb, and the story amazing!
Chromatic picks up right where Radiant (book 2) ended (on a cliffhanger). Being the final book in the Color Theory series, I do recommend you first read Vivid and then Radiant before picking up Chromatic or you will likely feel lost. A lot of world-building and character development happens in those first 2 books.
In Chromatic, we find out more about what Selene has been up to. The conflicting views about yellow magic continue to cause havoc. We learn more about Magus. And we meet a few new characters that add depth and interest to the story too!
Ava, Elm, and company once again are on a mission within the barrier as Magus itself is showing signs that all’s not right with their world. They know Selene and the Benefactors need to be stopped before it’s too late.
But how? Do they have what it takes?
Read this series to find out!
I enjoyed this series a lot! Themes include discovering that everything can work together for good, finding one’s purpose, and depending on others. Older teens (15+) and adult readers who like YA fantasy (plus a little sweet romance) might enjoy this series too.
Discernment for Chromatic: there are a few sweet kisses, some characters are injured, some injuries are described, a few characters are killed, and there’s quite a bit of magical violence. Also, Magus’s God-character is revealed (up to this point, there hadn’t been any God-like character in the story), but my personal opinion is that I wish this God-character could have been revealed earlier in the series and been given more character development.
Overall, I highly recommend this series!
(I received an ebook ARC of Chromatic from the publisher and/or author. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.)
March 27, 2025
4.5 Stars
Audiobook
This whole series was really good! This was the perfect end to the series!
Audiobook
This whole series was really good! This was the perfect end to the series!
May 11, 2024
❤️❤️❤️
I loved this so much. Perfect ending to the series...but it's the ending to the series😭. Aside from wanting infinitely more books in Elm and Ava's world, I would not have changed a single thing! It was amazing
I loved this so much. Perfect ending to the series...but it's the ending to the series😭. Aside from wanting infinitely more books in Elm and Ava's world, I would not have changed a single thing! It was amazing
May 14, 2024
The first book in this series was the first book I read through Kobo Plus. Since the book was a solid three star read, but not something special, I was actually planning on just finishing the series via Kobo Plus. However, the covers are simply way too beautiful! And I'm also too much of a book hoarder. I needed copies on my shelves. And after reading the first and second book I was very curious how the series would end. Luckily my hardcover arrived on release day.
I'm not sure if it's linked to my expectations, but I liked this book a lot better than the previous two books in the series. Maybe it's partly because I've gotten used to the simple, and sometimes slightly juvenile, writing style. I guess it's also because the characters have grown and learned in the previous books in the series and are now a lot wiser than they were. They are much more careful, they think things through and they understand the stakes are high.
I also quite like how the author eventually solves the war that has been going on against yellow magic. I especially love that the author lets her characters acknowledge that yellow magic does come with certain responsibility, however they also add that also red and blue magic comes with responsibility. And despite the fact that this is the last book in the series, the author also broadens her world building and the history of magic in this world.
Since this is Christian fantasy, this book also is a little more forgiving towards the bad guys we've met along the way. However, I was glad that the author didn't redeem everyone. The book does acknowledge that some people just have a dark streak and that some people refuse to change or give up their power. Of course, the book makes sure that the hands of our leading lady stay as clean as possible, but strangely enough that always feels more realistic than some mindless killing.
I will certainly keep an eye on this author. It's clear they've grown while writing this series and I can't wait to see what their next story will be!
I'm not sure if it's linked to my expectations, but I liked this book a lot better than the previous two books in the series. Maybe it's partly because I've gotten used to the simple, and sometimes slightly juvenile, writing style. I guess it's also because the characters have grown and learned in the previous books in the series and are now a lot wiser than they were. They are much more careful, they think things through and they understand the stakes are high.
I also quite like how the author eventually solves the war that has been going on against yellow magic. I especially love that the author lets her characters acknowledge that yellow magic does come with certain responsibility, however they also add that also red and blue magic comes with responsibility. And despite the fact that this is the last book in the series, the author also broadens her world building and the history of magic in this world.
Since this is Christian fantasy, this book also is a little more forgiving towards the bad guys we've met along the way. However, I was glad that the author didn't redeem everyone. The book does acknowledge that some people just have a dark streak and that some people refuse to change or give up their power. Of course, the book makes sure that the hands of our leading lady stay as clean as possible, but strangely enough that always feels more realistic than some mindless killing.
I will certainly keep an eye on this author. It's clear they've grown while writing this series and I can't wait to see what their next story will be!
May 7, 2024
This whole series was incredible, and the ending wrapped it up nicely. I'm a sucker for happy endings. ;)
If you're looking for clean YA fantasy with magical characters, colorful settings, and faith themes, read this series!
If you're looking for clean YA fantasy with magical characters, colorful settings, and faith themes, read this series!
Read
September 17, 2024I got really bored..really disappointed… loved the first two books
Read
June 7, 2025Ultimately, this series had a lot of potential. I wonder if this story might have been better if it was contained to a single novel. Vivid had a really strong core, but it tapered off throughout the series.
I did like that this one focused more on Elm and Ava instead of one-note side characters.
There was a lot of potential for character dynamics in this one, but ultimately so much of them were left unrealized. The characters are less passive, but very few of their actions had any consequences. Anything bad that happened would be conveniently undone a few pages (or at the worst) a few chapters later. It felt like things were just happening without any rhyme or reason.
Also their insistence on not hurting or killing anyone because “anyone can be redeemed” got really old. Yes, anyone can be redeemed. Yes, you should not kill people. But when it comes down to it, if a madman is trying to kill your friends, you gotta have some common sense. This is not the time for a redemption arc. (Speaking of, Selene’s rushed redemption arc was not it for me either, I fear.)
I also wasn’t thrilled that this book went with the “this girl is the one who brought out all the good in us, so now that she’s not here we all fall into despair” trope. Elm had a really unhealthy reliance on Ava to supposedly regulate his choices.
And of course, now we needed to add another male character so he and Elm could fight over Ava.
I genuinely forgot that Elm and Ava are technically adults since they act so much younger, so the plot with them getting engaged and talking about having kids (and an epilogue where they actually do) felt really weird and uncomfy.
And finally, I checked out of the climax when Ava died and Magus’ God (who was NEVER mentioned in the series before this) gave her superpowers and resurrected her and so magically the barrier was defeated.
All that being said, this is still a good starter YA for readers who are just entering the genre and are willing to overlook the bumps. However, for me, the first book was the most powerful.
Sensitive topics/content:
none
Representation:
none
I did like that this one focused more on Elm and Ava instead of one-note side characters.
There was a lot of potential for character dynamics in this one, but ultimately so much of them were left unrealized. The characters are less passive, but very few of their actions had any consequences. Anything bad that happened would be conveniently undone a few pages (or at the worst) a few chapters later. It felt like things were just happening without any rhyme or reason.
Also their insistence on not hurting or killing anyone because “anyone can be redeemed” got really old. Yes, anyone can be redeemed. Yes, you should not kill people. But when it comes down to it, if a madman is trying to kill your friends, you gotta have some common sense. This is not the time for a redemption arc. (Speaking of, Selene’s rushed redemption arc was not it for me either, I fear.)
I also wasn’t thrilled that this book went with the “this girl is the one who brought out all the good in us, so now that she’s not here we all fall into despair” trope. Elm had a really unhealthy reliance on Ava to supposedly regulate his choices.
And of course, now we needed to add another male character so he and Elm could fight over Ava.
I genuinely forgot that Elm and Ava are technically adults since they act so much younger, so the plot with them getting engaged and talking about having kids (and an epilogue where they actually do) felt really weird and uncomfy.
And finally, I checked out of the climax when Ava died and Magus’ God (who was NEVER mentioned in the series before this) gave her superpowers and resurrected her and so magically the barrier was defeated.
All that being said, this is still a good starter YA for readers who are just entering the genre and are willing to overlook the bumps. However, for me, the first book was the most powerful.
Sensitive topics/content:
none
Representation:
none
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2024
This book is so good and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read it! Get ready for a roller coaster of emotions and an amazing conclusion to a great series!
May 23, 2024
Eek!!! This book was just so lovely! It was an excellent conclusion to the Color Theory trilogy!
While it had a slow start, it picked up about halfway through and closed out with an incredible finale!
I love these characters, the world, the magic, and just everything about this whole series! I’m so sad that the series is over but that just means I’ll have to reread it!
While it had a slow start, it picked up about halfway through and closed out with an incredible finale!
I love these characters, the world, the magic, and just everything about this whole series! I’m so sad that the series is over but that just means I’ll have to reread it!
March 18, 2024
The perfect ending to this series! I was a bit worried around chapter 30, but everything played out well towards the end. The whole concept of this world really drew me in from the beginning. It was always a different type of "magic" than anything I had read before. The way everything gets tied together in this book really makes sense. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these characters and watching them grow and develop, and I am a bit sad it is over!
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. I am not required to leave a review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. I am not required to leave a review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
October 1, 2024
A great wrap-up to the series!
November 6, 2024
It took some turns I wasn't expecting, but the way everything was resolved and just worked out in the end felt... unsatisfying.
For me, the world building and magic system was my favorite part of this story, and the basic story was compelling. The characters were enjoyable and at times relateable, but felt a little cookie-cutter sometimes.
Overall it was a good series and made for an enjoyable read
For me, the world building and magic system was my favorite part of this story, and the basic story was compelling. The characters were enjoyable and at times relateable, but felt a little cookie-cutter sometimes.
Overall it was a good series and made for an enjoyable read
October 8, 2024
Wow! This series is so good. The final volume cranks up the stakes and delivers the happy ending we hoped for. There is so much I want to gush about, but I don’t want to accidentally give away any spoilers.
If you read the first two books, you already know you need to read the conclusion. If you haven’t, you need to start at the beginning.
I highly recommend this series.
If you read the first two books, you already know you need to read the conclusion. If you haven’t, you need to start at the beginning.
I highly recommend this series.
March 19, 2024
There are times when a series just grips my heart. It reflects Light and Love through the creative telling. This is one of those. Books 1 and 2 set the stage, but it all gets real in book 3!!!
Ava, Elm, and the rest of the gang have all grown, learned, and matured so much. They are pushing boundaries and really learning the wonder of their various color giftings. The real beauty comes when they start working together and blending. Knowing there are two sides to every coin, with the greater beauty comes greater danger. The stakes are higher. There are twists and turns, and my emotions went through all the feels! I feel like there is more grit in this book while they spend more time off-grid. Everything around them in Magus is in a state of chaos and unpredictability and this was captured so well in the writing.
I enjoyed every moment. The creativity is moving, the truths are poignant, and the story is just captivating. In all of it, we see the beauty of Light working together and it is wondrous.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
Ava, Elm, and the rest of the gang have all grown, learned, and matured so much. They are pushing boundaries and really learning the wonder of their various color giftings. The real beauty comes when they start working together and blending. Knowing there are two sides to every coin, with the greater beauty comes greater danger. The stakes are higher. There are twists and turns, and my emotions went through all the feels! I feel like there is more grit in this book while they spend more time off-grid. Everything around them in Magus is in a state of chaos and unpredictability and this was captured so well in the writing.
I enjoyed every moment. The creativity is moving, the truths are poignant, and the story is just captivating. In all of it, we see the beauty of Light working together and it is wondrous.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
June 1, 2025
I really, really love this series!
This is the first book I can recall reading where I cared more about the romance than the plot! And the plot was excellent, but the romance was outstandingly captivating. I love Ava and Elm so much; individually, and as a couple.*Giggles softly*The acknowledgements mention fanart, and I really want to see some.
Magic system wise, power sources are important again!
This book has also received the honor of being yelled at. ("WHAT?!") Family members were concerned.
This series is so many things for me: One of my all time favorite romances, the only dystopian I have ever truly enjoyed, and one of the best YAs I can think of!
100% recommend!
This is the first book I can recall reading where I cared more about the romance than the plot! And the plot was excellent, but the romance was outstandingly captivating. I love Ava and Elm so much; individually, and as a couple.*Giggles softly*The acknowledgements mention fanart, and I really want to see some.
Magic system wise, power sources are important again!
This book has also received the honor of being yelled at. ("WHAT?!") Family members were concerned.
This series is so many things for me: One of my all time favorite romances, the only dystopian I have ever truly enjoyed, and one of the best YAs I can think of!
100% recommend!
March 9, 2024
The Color Theory remains one of my favorite series, and Chromatic was an amazing conclusion. Ava and Elm have grown so much since Vivid, and it's been amazing to get to watch their journeys. I almost don't have words for my love for this series--I just want to hug the books and reread them over and over, lol.
~~I received an early copy of this book for launch purposes and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
~~I received an early copy of this book for launch purposes and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
May 19, 2024
Trying to hate this book series is like trying to kick a puppy, you just feel bad.
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