Teleworld

Colorworld #2

by Rachel E. Kelly

After a month of living a semi-normal life with her condition, Wen would rather not think about scary things like the fact that her ability became more powerful all on its own. Or that Louise is still roaming free. Or that she's about to be married to Gabriel and she has no idea how they'll manage being unable to touch each other. But the questions won't leave her alone and she's desperate for answers.
Wen believes those answers begin with Subject Number Three, the only person known to have survived touching her lethal skin. When her Uncle Robert finally locates the woman, Wen is sure that an end to her problems is within her grasp.
She's wrong. They've only just begun.
Now, hope for a cure to Wen's condition is crumbling, Kaylen is missing, and a horrifying accident with her brother leaves Wen desperate and terrified. Just when she thinks she can't take much more, Gabriel, the one person Wen thought she could count on, suddenly becomes the one person she fears the most.

400 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2014

About the author

I dig philosophy, lore, fairy tales, authentic romance, and the occult. I have longed to read something that artfully combines all 5, and since I haven't found it, I decided to write a story of my own. Colorworld is the culmination of all these loves of mine, and it's my passion to make it something everyone can read and get something out of. Stories are meant to entertain, yes, but the best stories are the ones that do that AND make you question yourself. And since I hold all other literary works to this standard, it is also the standard I hold myself to when writing.
The Colorworld series is a story that opens your eyes to the beauty of that everydayness we all know so well while weaving in that wee bit of fantasy we all long for.

For sample writing, visit colorworldbooks.com

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from a friend who won it through a goodreads giveaway.
Warning: there may be spoilers in this review.

I really enjoyed this book. Teleworld is the second book in the Colorworld series by Rachel E. Kelly. The series centers around Wendy. She's a college student who is also trying to take care of her younger brother after her mother's death. However, that's not all. Wendy can also tell what other people are feeling....just by touching them. She has had this ability for as long as she can remember, and has learned to live with it. That is, until she signs up for an energy therapy study. Just trying to make a little extra money, Wendy ends up getting a lot more than she was expecting.

When this series was first recommended to me, I didn't latch onto it right away. I thought it sounded like a lot of other books that I had heard about and, as a reader of mostly young-adult books, I sometimes have a hard time getting into anything else. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. The books in this series are completely unique. They take the time to explain some of the science behind the fiction without it becoming overwhelming or boring. The characters are three-dimensional, relatable, and funny. After reading the first book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second, and I wasn't disappointed. It was just as exciting and engaging as the first book, with all the same great characters. The story continues in the third book Lumaworld(which I have read and thought was awesome too!) and Shadoworld, which comes out later this year.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction, or a good superhero story.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Teleworld by Rachel E. Kelly for free through a GoodReads first reads giveaway. Thank you to Rachel E. Kelly and GoodReads for the book. :)

I was a little worried going into this book after just finishing the first book in the series (Colorworld) because I had liked Colorworld and I was worried about how the second book would continue the story. Nonetheless it's safe to say that this book didn't have second book syndrome at all, in my opinion. I thought this was a good way to further the story.
It was very easy to get into the story once I eventually was able to sit down and read. Once I started I didn't want to stop. I still don't want to stop but sadly the third book isn't out yet so I have to wait.

If you haven't heard about this series or if you haven't read the first book yet then you should look into Colorworld by Rachel E. Kelly (which is the first book in the series) and give it a try.

I really liked Teleworld. It kept me constantly on my toes. The plot twists in this book kept getting more intense and I wasn't sure in which direction they were going. I feel all of the characters were well written. There was some frustration with the major plot twists simply because I, a) didn't see some of it coming and b) couldn't believe that was happening. Stuff went down in this book and it hasn't finished yet. If you don't like (even minor) spoilers then you might want to stop reading here and know that I really liked both books and hope to follow the series as it grows. I would recommend this series.

To go further into the characters and plot:
What I really liked about Wendy is she didn't let other people make the big decisions for her. She is her own person, independently strong. She knew the risks and she stood her ground even if it made her life miserable. She made her own choices despite what Ezra and Gabe theorized, plotted and tried to convince her of. She did whatever she had to in order to protect the people she cares about.

I like Ezra's character. As her younger brother he is a very important person in Wendy's life who she dedicated a lot of the last year or so to. He also added to the humor in the story.
I was also happy that Wendy became friends with Kaylen in the first book because I feel she really needed a friend in her life and Kaylen was there for her.

Another thing I liked about this book is that we got to see more of Wendy's past and back story which led to seeing how she has grown as a person.

Through out the middle of the story Gabriel and Wendy were frustrating me. Gabe needed to back off of his theory and let her live the way she wanted to. Right or wrong he should not have tried to control her view of things. I was happy that she stood her ground and though I was hoping they would make up I was also hoping it was for the right reasons and not simply because he convinced her to.

Every book needs a "team good" and I really like this books "team good" all of the characters were well written.

I was happy with how the books ended. Rachel E. Kelly found a way of writing endings that left me content with how they ended. I was actually really content and happy with the end of this book even though most of the huge questions and problems remain unanswered and in the air. That being said I am still (not so patiently) waiting for the rest of the books in anticipation of how the story is going to progress.

Overall I really liked this book as well as the first one

Thank you again Rachel E. Kelly for the Book and for the chance to win it.

[Bradley Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal! I absolutely hated Wendy by the time I was about 60% of the way through. I just didn't get what all the fuss was about and why she insisted on taking the course of action she did. But then, about 70-75% of the way though, I totally got it. It was a real eye opener to finally understand what Wendy's beef was this entire time.

From this moment on I was pretty darn invested emotionally. Throw in one of the coolest scenes I've ever read with Kaylen throwing cars, trees, dirt, and everything else she could manage to pick up. The parking garage is something I'm dying to see on a movie screen.

From that moment on I refused to put the book down. After weeks of reading a chapter here and there (due to life taking all my free time), I refused to eat, sleep, or do anything but finish Teleworld! I honestly had a tear in my eye or just out right cried like no one was watching through the last 80%.

The conversation between Gabe, Wendy, and Quinn is my favorite in all of literature. Simply amazing. Probably the most mature discussion I've ever witnessed in either real life, movie, or print. Stunning, absolutely stunning what Rachel Kelly has managed to put on paper.

The ending was more than satisfying and I can't wait for Book 3 in November!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely amazing read. I'm kinda mad that it took me this long to finish the book, but I didn't have a lot of reading time at work and I was exhausted when I got home. I love the depth of the characters and their emotions. They really drive the story/plot forward, not a bunch of random action sequences or anything. In many ways this is a difficult book for Wendy and Gabriel. They have to deal with a lot together and apart, and it makes them grow in so many ways, making them even stronger in the end. Ezra is a lot more present in Teleworld, now that we aren't spending most of the time at the compound, and we even get some more action-y type scenes thanks to Kaylen's telekinetic ability. So many secrets and revelations fill this book and it honestly leaves me wondering what could possibly happen next. All I can say is that I am so incredibly glad that I found these books at Comic-Con and I am looking forward to jumping into Lumaworld (book 3) very soon. Also, it will be pretty awesome to find Rachel Kelly at Chicago Comic-Con this year and have a complete fan-girl moment now that I have become obsessed with the Colorworld series. I cannot recommend these books enough. Amazing!

[Melissa]

15% plot advancement and 85% relationship drama.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really loving this series, and I know this is part of their personalities, but the incessant way Gabriel goes on about himself during his self-loathing tirades makes it hard to read through. Of course Wendy isn't perfect but I recognize the character growth in her and personality growth. It's just too much for me sometimes with Gabriel

[Jennigma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so I finished this book. It was really frustrating through the first 75% of it but I feel the last 25% makes up for it some. All in all, I am satisfied with where the book ended and where the series is going.

Off to the next one.

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not my favorite one of the series. It has too much fighting between Wendy and Gabe. Also the internal dialogue is annoying. It's not much action until more than half way through the book. I do understand why the author did it but it kinda bummed me out.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspense, Romance, Fantasy/Sci-Fi

It's got many of my favorite things in it. I'll be reading the next one, maybe all of the books.

[Nicole Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at Fanboy Comics .

Rachel E. Kelly’s second installment in her ambitious Colorworld novel series, Teleworld, picks up almost where the first one left off: A few months have gone by, and Wendy and Gabriel work to negotiate their fledgling engagement while Wen continues to struggle with her death touch. Her Uncle Robert provides stability for the young woman and her brother, Ezra, but it’s a little strange that he’s the one person Wendy finds hard to read emotionally. Is it because he’s just naturally less volatile and more guarded, or is there something more sinister about Robert’s reasons for avoiding Wen’s emodar? However, with a sudden wedding, our protagonist is more concerned about learning to be a wife, getting to know her husband better, and finding a way to belong to a warm, welcoming extended family without dropping her guard enough to accidentally kill someone.

Teleworld focuses more on emotional and personal growth than its prequel, Colorworld, and while it continues the narrative about Wendy’s strange superhuman abilities, I feel that it is more a character piece than an action one. The crux of the conflict is how Gabriel and Wendy can love each other deeply but struggle to understand one another due to personalities, lack of knowledge of one another thanks to their whirlwind dating/courtship, and how each of them tries to handle the reality of Wendy’s deadly ability. As a result, my criticisms over Wen and Gabriel’s relationship in Book 1 faded away in Book 2. Love is not presented as a magical remedy for everything, and marriage/couplehood is treated realistically. (I have it on good authority that some aspects of Wen/Gabriel’s marriage and relationship are based on the author’s experiences!) Good bonds take work, and Kelly details a narrative showing how even a most extraordinary pair doesn’t have it easy when it comes to building a solid foundation together. Gabriel’s family also adds to the cast, and I think I’d like to clone his mother to take care of me!

Because the plot centers on Wendy’s growth, Teleworld doesn’t feel as fast paced as Colorworld, but everything helps to move the characters forward. Important discoveries are made, and I believe readers need to see Gabriel and Wen’s connection transform into something better and stronger over the course of the book. I often prefer character-driven stories, so I responded extremely well to Teleworld (lots of reading done over my lunch break while anxiously watching the clock, hoping I’d have time for another chapter), but I recognize that some readers prefer more action. This installment definitely adds some key things to the overarching storyline, though, so it’s not all introspection and navel gazing.

My only small complaints about Teleworld fall directly in the realm of niggly nitpicks from someone who knows way too much about the topic. I have a B.A. in Spanish, so some of the usage in Teleworld jumped out at me as being a) misspelled or b) not grammatically correct. If you do not speak Spanish, these will flow over you without any break in the story, and, honestly, you will probably understand Wen’s frustration with Gabriel’s multi-linguistic capabilities more deeply if you don’t follow it! Second, there are several references to Hispanic influence or people in the text that aren’t entirely correct. Using Hispanic to describe food items, etc., probably is okay, but many individuals prefer the term Latin@, simply because it acknowledges the native roots of many people from Central and South America and the Caribbean, rather than making it sound like they all have Spanish-European roots. Again, I only know this from my studies, and it doesn’t affect the narrative in any way.

I adored Teleworld, and I’ve struggled with not starting the third book in the series before writing this review to avoid muddling my thoughts. The central characters, Wen and Gabriel, have crossed their Rubicon, and the fallout will almost certainly be tremendous. I can’t wait to see what Kelly introduces next after seeing how deftly she dealt with the necessary issues in this one!


5 Beautifully Crafted Ribbon Skies out of 5

[Alisha]

New Words: Panoply and Termagant and Dilatory

So far I have read the first three books. I had thought there were only three. If I had known there would be a fourth, I may not have read them at all. This review is to the first three, which I will include on all three books here on goodreads.

As all of the reviews I have seen of these books are GLOWING, I think I may be the first person who does not know the author who has read them. If the author reads my review let me say your ideas are RAD and I kept reading BECAUSE of them. However, please use an editor, or a better one, in the future.

OK, here goes:

The idea of kinks in the energy field of someone being smoothed and people manifesting abilities is so fascinating. The first book is fairly quick on the uptake, but then slows substantially for more than half of the book-- then picks up very quickly at the end in a rushed manner. I think the first book could have easily been half its size. Potentially, the entire three books should have fit into one book.

Wendy, the main character, COULD have been rad. But she very easily fell into the trap of "I really just need all my thoughts to be about a boy" and that was incredibly annoying to me. I would have read the book without a love interest at all. And it probably would have been a better book. The author did not do a good job of keeping the main character focused on real life. The character development for the guy, Gabriel, was confusing at times because he was wonderful wonderful wonderful (i get it already), but then in the second book Wendy decides he is manipulative and controlling and as a reader I guess you are just supposed to roll with it? The transition from infatuation to complicated actual relationship was not well done. She speaks in absolutes of how Gabriel is all of sudden, which are completely counter to everything we have learned about his character up until this point. Its sloppy.

Additionally, in the second book there is this:

"Stupid, Wendy. I was the one who instigated it even though I knew where it would lead. My gosh, it's like I forgot how riled up he got by the pool. It's like I forgot how completely easily men can be ruled by sexual urges. I, of all people, have a very clear knowledge of this fact. You wind them up and they WILL go somewhere." UM, rape culture anyone? Nope, men are not ruled by sexual urges. Please do not include that idea in your book. Everyone has choice. Girls do not need to be taught to be responsible for the sexual actions of boys and men.

oh, and this:

"She obviously drew a lot of inspiration from her Hispanic roots but still managed to make the colors understated enough to be refined." wow. So, the full spectrum of another culture isn't refined? yikes.

There are also random instances of "here's what Wendy is wearing and how she is accessorizing" which are just wasted sentences.

That is the main story of these books for me. They could have been so much more. It is very frustrating to see that as a reader, that the good interesting parts are rushed and poorly developed while "souls making love" is pages and pages and pages. I think the author is much too smart for the way the balance sheet of fluff vs. substance is actually panning out, and that is such a disappointment.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have purchased on my Kindle (the rest I have checked out from the library) and I think it was a great choice! I was a little frustrated with Wendy's immaturity/rash decisions sometimes but I loved the story and it left me thinking about what is to come. There were some nuances that I thought made the book special. I enjoyed how Gabriel and Maris occasionally speak in Spanish so the reader knows what they are thinking but Wendy does not understand. Ezra is a stud. Great book and I recommend it to all! Of course, read Colorworld first. I read them only a few months apart and I had already forgotten so much. I wish I had reread Colorworld because there is not a lot of recapping in Teleworld.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing sequel to an amazing first book. Great ending, keeps you wanting more without leaving you dangling from a cliff. If you're interested in supernatural abilities then this might be a good book for you. Filled with all kinds of emotions, action and adventure. Go into the Colorworld for a second time with Teleworld! I have Lumaworld on pre-order right now, and it can't get here soon enough!

[Melonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and looking forward to book 3!

[Laurie Hopkins]

Did not read this, decided it wasn't worth it seeing I couldn't stand the main character