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What if color held the secrets to powerful magic?
Forced to move into the palace, Jessa begins training as a Color Alchemist under the direction of the kingdom's most eligible bachelor, Prince Lucas. As an alchemist, Jessa must capture and harness the color of living things. Every color has a unique purpose, except red. Red is the untapped magic no one can access—until Jessa.
Prince Lucas is running out of time. His mother is deathly ill and healing magic hasn’t worked. When Lucas suspects someone is using alchemy to control her, he sets out to discover the truth, no matter the cost.
PRISM is the first installment of a unique young adult romantic fantasy series where a dystopian world with a Victorian flair meets the dynamic magic of color!
Forced to move into the palace, Jessa begins training as a Color Alchemist under the direction of the kingdom's most eligible bachelor, Prince Lucas. As an alchemist, Jessa must capture and harness the color of living things. Every color has a unique purpose, except red. Red is the untapped magic no one can access—until Jessa.
Prince Lucas is running out of time. His mother is deathly ill and healing magic hasn’t worked. When Lucas suspects someone is using alchemy to control her, he sets out to discover the truth, no matter the cost.
PRISM is the first installment of a unique young adult romantic fantasy series where a dystopian world with a Victorian flair meets the dynamic magic of color!
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2017
590 people are currently reading
1612 people want to read
About the author
Nina Walker
35 books248 followersNina Walker writes all kinds of fantasy for teens and adults. She is happily married and living the good life in the mountains of southern Utah.
Connect with her:
FB Group - Nina's Reading Party
IG - @ninabelievesinmagic
TT - @ninawalker.books
www.ninawalkerbooks.com
Connect with her:
FB Group - Nina's Reading Party
IG - @ninabelievesinmagic
TT - @ninawalker.books
www.ninawalkerbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
August 16, 2018
Prism is a fantasy that is different from books that have magically enhanced persons. I like the concept, the characters, the plot, twists, the slight romance, and the great magically abilities. More of a teen/young adult book. Narrators were wonderful. They had a male and female to perform each part, per chapter.
dnf
November 17, 2017DNF at 32%
THIS IS SO PAINFUL
The writing is not doing it for me. I'm not able to connect to the characters, and I'm finding their actions and thoughts to be totally over-the-top and flaky.
There is a love triangle set up at the beginning, and the one love interest is a Creep. He Creepily stares at her bare legs and gets a Creeper smirk on his face. The MC is uncomfortable for 0.394 seconds until Creeper makes a terrible joke, then the MC relaxes and laughs and says to herself, "He's not so bad after all. Look, he made me laugh! Hardy har har."
Okay
THIS IS SO PAINFUL
The writing is not doing it for me. I'm not able to connect to the characters, and I'm finding their actions and thoughts to be totally over-the-top and flaky.
There is a love triangle set up at the beginning, and the one love interest is a Creep. He Creepily stares at her bare legs and gets a Creeper smirk on his face. The MC is uncomfortable for 0.394 seconds until Creeper makes a terrible joke, then the MC relaxes and laughs and says to herself, "He's not so bad after all. Look, he made me laugh! Hardy har har."
Okay
Want to read
February 11, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (2/11/2018)! 💝
October 19, 2017
what an amazing first book in an epic, unique and original new series. this authors storytelling is so insanely good. I've devoured every page and can't wait to read the sequel!
The book got me thinking about a lot of things regarding the plot and story-line developing and I really like a book that’s able to do that to me while reading. Where’s the missing relative of Jessa? Who’s behind the ‘attacks’ on Lucas’ mother? and much more questions were holding me captive during this read – some things were predictable to me but I didn’t mind that because there were enough of other things that came as a shock to me as well. It was a nice balance haha. The book has a lot of recognizable YA-elements, but since the magic, characters and writing style of this author are so original, unique and amazing, it’s a book that despite having recognizable elements in it, also turned into a book of greatness and one of a kind. This truly is a wonderful first book in a new series and I’m even more impressed because it’s a debut novel. I really can’t wait to see what more this author has in store for us #excited
There’s sooo much to write about. The politics, the world building itself, the magic! the characters and the writing style. I could write a 3000-word review on this book and still not be done with it, lol. But really; you need to read and experience it yourself to fully understand the magnitude of awesomeness that’s called PRISM!
For a more extended review, check out the link below:
http://melissasbookworld.com/2017/10/...
The book got me thinking about a lot of things regarding the plot and story-line developing and I really like a book that’s able to do that to me while reading. Where’s the missing relative of Jessa? Who’s behind the ‘attacks’ on Lucas’ mother? and much more questions were holding me captive during this read – some things were predictable to me but I didn’t mind that because there were enough of other things that came as a shock to me as well. It was a nice balance haha. The book has a lot of recognizable YA-elements, but since the magic, characters and writing style of this author are so original, unique and amazing, it’s a book that despite having recognizable elements in it, also turned into a book of greatness and one of a kind. This truly is a wonderful first book in a new series and I’m even more impressed because it’s a debut novel. I really can’t wait to see what more this author has in store for us #excited
There’s sooo much to write about. The politics, the world building itself, the magic! the characters and the writing style. I could write a 3000-word review on this book and still not be done with it, lol. But really; you need to read and experience it yourself to fully understand the magnitude of awesomeness that’s called PRISM!
For a more extended review, check out the link below:
http://melissasbookworld.com/2017/10/...
June 6, 2019
Reaction Review time
“What’s going on here, Jessa?” My mother turned to me, her voice shaking. “Did you lie to that royal officer? If something happened with alchemy, you need to tell us right now. We can help but we need to know what we are dealing with here.”
- Thank God for over-the-top dialogue coming in from the Mother character. I bet we won't be spending much time with her in the novel.
Finally alone, I let out a deep breath, willing the stress to fall away.
- Ah, the joys of tell instead of show.
The accident flashed through my memory.
- Ah, the second scene of the novel is a flashback. NGL, I might just not finish this novel.
On that day, just like most days, I took Lacey to our neighborhood playground. On that brisk January afternoon, the cool air was refreshing on my sore dancer muscles.
- How did these two sentences not catch an editor's eye? How?
Beyond her, the bare trees held onto the last fragments of fall.
- Kay, either this is a weird version of Earth in the distant future where global warming somehow made January late fall, or, you know, it should have been early to mid-December. January is pure winter, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.
Abruptly, Lacey’s hands slipped and her little body catapulted from the seat. For the brief moment, she was in flight.
- Okay, it's definite that no editor took a look at this book. It should be For a brief moment.
Stunned, I watched my little sister crash into the waiting earth. Mounds of frozen gravel pummeled her face.
- I have no idea what imagery this was supposed to entice, but all I imagine is a child falling into a shallow hole that grows mounds to punch the poor girl in the face.
At this point, might as well label this novel with #badwriting. Also, if the gravel is actually frozen, wouldn't it mean that it may actually be too cold for a little child to be on the swings? When I was a kid, my parents wouldn't let me go near the swings until it was April.
-So, Lacey got hurt, Jessa obviously helped her calm down by using the power in the color red, and in true TSTL heroine fashion, she did not realize that she did this. Of course.
Come on, book, surprise me.
Even stranger was the air that wrapped around us, a cloud of luminous red energy, seemingly not of this world. I almost didn’t notice when Lacey lost consciousness.
It all happened so fast. Too fast.
-Come on, book. Be good.
It took the medics a while to arrive at the scene and cart Lacey off to be stitched up.
-Okay, so a while passed.
I still didn’t want to admit how one second her blood could be gray, and the next, return to vibrant red. It had to be alchemy.
-Of course.
It all happened so fast.
-The sentence is repeated. ON THE SAME PAGE. Things go fast, then slow, then fast again, my gods. EDITOR, where are you?
The next thing I knew, the medics were shaking me, calmly asking their standard questions.
- So, this is the part where, despite shaking, I calmly realized that this book was either edited by sloppy editors, or not at all.
They took my pulse and gave me some water as they assessed Lacey and the wide pool of red blood around us. The gray was nowhere to be seen. She was small enough that the wounds on her knees, palms, face, and tongue warranted her going to the hospital for stitches and painkillers. She even ended up needing a blood transfusion.
- And this is the part where I realized that there is no way I can just suspend my disbelief for the book and enjoy it. First of all, a wide pool of blood indicates heavy bleeding - did Lacey get a cut on her jugular or carotid? No, it doesn't seem to be so bad, she has skinned knees and palms, a bitten tongue, and scrapes on her face. YET SHE NEEDS A BLOOD TRANSFUSION. What this tells me is that the author didn't want to hurt Lacey too much, but still wanted Lacey to get a blood transfusion to allow Jessa to oh-so-smartly point the finger towards the blood transfusion for the grayness that had been removed from Lacey's blood.
It's when things happen because they're needed for the plot, and the author ignores the rules of cause and effect that you get a bad book. The writing is choppy, the style is nonexistent, and Jessa is just flat.
This was just chapter 1. *sighs* Let's see if it gets any better.
Nope. The gems continue.
A warning more than a piece of advice.
I was the prince, and we’d been through this many times before. Just let me use the bathroom in peace!
- Not sure what bugs me more, Lucas himself, or the use of that exclamation mark.
Lucas is no Prince Kai, it would seem.
The memory of my first contact with the Resistance flashed through my mind.
-Ah, another flashback ensues. It must be mandatory for introducing characters.
This was about magic, about an evil that was consuming the palace from within.
So, is it alchemy, or magic?
Apparently, it's a visual show.
Reading the rest of the book feels like I'm slogging through endless molasses and makes me rethink its entertainment and escapism value.
Also, exclamation marks belong in dialogue, and even then, they are to be used sparingly. There are more than three exclamation marks in fewer than three chapters.
Still looking for the value in the book.
Ladies and gentlemen, Prince Lucas:
Blue was a tough magic and highly useful. I looked at the boy with a newfound respect, despite myself.
On the same page:
I wondered just how much of our conversation Faulk had heard because of that annoying kid!
Lucas finding the boy annoying would not have annoyed me had it not happened right after he respected the kid for his power.
“What’s going on here, Jessa?” My mother turned to me, her voice shaking. “Did you lie to that royal officer? If something happened with alchemy, you need to tell us right now. We can help but we need to know what we are dealing with here.”
- Thank God for over-the-top dialogue coming in from the Mother character. I bet we won't be spending much time with her in the novel.
Finally alone, I let out a deep breath, willing the stress to fall away.
- Ah, the joys of tell instead of show.
The accident flashed through my memory.
- Ah, the second scene of the novel is a flashback. NGL, I might just not finish this novel.
On that day, just like most days, I took Lacey to our neighborhood playground. On that brisk January afternoon, the cool air was refreshing on my sore dancer muscles.
- How did these two sentences not catch an editor's eye? How?
Beyond her, the bare trees held onto the last fragments of fall.
- Kay, either this is a weird version of Earth in the distant future where global warming somehow made January late fall, or, you know, it should have been early to mid-December. January is pure winter, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.
Abruptly, Lacey’s hands slipped and her little body catapulted from the seat. For the brief moment, she was in flight.
- Okay, it's definite that no editor took a look at this book. It should be For a brief moment.
Stunned, I watched my little sister crash into the waiting earth. Mounds of frozen gravel pummeled her face.
- I have no idea what imagery this was supposed to entice, but all I imagine is a child falling into a shallow hole that grows mounds to punch the poor girl in the face.
At this point, might as well label this novel with #badwriting. Also, if the gravel is actually frozen, wouldn't it mean that it may actually be too cold for a little child to be on the swings? When I was a kid, my parents wouldn't let me go near the swings until it was April.
-So, Lacey got hurt, Jessa obviously helped her calm down by using the power in the color red, and in true TSTL heroine fashion, she did not realize that she did this. Of course.
Come on, book, surprise me.
Even stranger was the air that wrapped around us, a cloud of luminous red energy, seemingly not of this world. I almost didn’t notice when Lacey lost consciousness.
It all happened so fast. Too fast.
-Come on, book. Be good.
It took the medics a while to arrive at the scene and cart Lacey off to be stitched up.
-Okay, so a while passed.
I still didn’t want to admit how one second her blood could be gray, and the next, return to vibrant red. It had to be alchemy.
-Of course.
It all happened so fast.
-The sentence is repeated. ON THE SAME PAGE. Things go fast, then slow, then fast again, my gods. EDITOR, where are you?
The next thing I knew, the medics were shaking me, calmly asking their standard questions.
- So, this is the part where, despite shaking, I calmly realized that this book was either edited by sloppy editors, or not at all.
They took my pulse and gave me some water as they assessed Lacey and the wide pool of red blood around us. The gray was nowhere to be seen. She was small enough that the wounds on her knees, palms, face, and tongue warranted her going to the hospital for stitches and painkillers. She even ended up needing a blood transfusion.
- And this is the part where I realized that there is no way I can just suspend my disbelief for the book and enjoy it. First of all, a wide pool of blood indicates heavy bleeding - did Lacey get a cut on her jugular or carotid? No, it doesn't seem to be so bad, she has skinned knees and palms, a bitten tongue, and scrapes on her face. YET SHE NEEDS A BLOOD TRANSFUSION. What this tells me is that the author didn't want to hurt Lacey too much, but still wanted Lacey to get a blood transfusion to allow Jessa to oh-so-smartly point the finger towards the blood transfusion for the grayness that had been removed from Lacey's blood.
It's when things happen because they're needed for the plot, and the author ignores the rules of cause and effect that you get a bad book. The writing is choppy, the style is nonexistent, and Jessa is just flat.
This was just chapter 1. *sighs* Let's see if it gets any better.
Nope. The gems continue.
A warning more than a piece of advice.
I was the prince, and we’d been through this many times before. Just let me use the bathroom in peace!
- Not sure what bugs me more, Lucas himself, or the use of that exclamation mark.
Lucas is no Prince Kai, it would seem.
The memory of my first contact with the Resistance flashed through my mind.
-Ah, another flashback ensues. It must be mandatory for introducing characters.
This was about magic, about an evil that was consuming the palace from within.
So, is it alchemy, or magic?
Apparently, it's a visual show.
Reading the rest of the book feels like I'm slogging through endless molasses and makes me rethink its entertainment and escapism value.
Also, exclamation marks belong in dialogue, and even then, they are to be used sparingly. There are more than three exclamation marks in fewer than three chapters.
Still looking for the value in the book.
Ladies and gentlemen, Prince Lucas:
Blue was a tough magic and highly useful. I looked at the boy with a newfound respect, despite myself.
On the same page:
I wondered just how much of our conversation Faulk had heard because of that annoying kid!
Lucas finding the boy annoying would not have annoyed me had it not happened right after he respected the kid for his power.
November 20, 2017
Thank you to Addison & Gray Press/Book Review 22 for sharing a copy of the first book in The Color Alchemist series.
The story begins in a nuclear middle-class family set in a dystopian society of normals and color alchemists. The Royal Officers are questioning the children over the discovery of a recent bloodwork done for an accident that occurred six months ago. Unable to find proof that the family are harboring color alchemists, the Royal Officers left. That night, during a Royal Ballet performance, Jessa accidentally triggers the separation of purple, the color in her ballet outfit, into blue and red. This startles the Royals and she is immediately captured.
Color alchemy doesn't manifest immediately until an event triggers the power, usually found in young children. In this case, Jessa's first reaction occurs at age sixteen. Colors from everyday life can be taken and used in intricate ways. Green, for example, is the power of healing. Blue is used to enhance listening. Orange allows the alchemist to move heavy objects. Color alchemists can access purple, blue, green, yellow, and orange, while black, red, and white are a mystery.
The story is cleverly written and the idea of using colors as a power source is very creative. What I find fascinating is that no one is particularly innocent. Each person Jessa meets has an ulterior motive. What I find distracting is the romance blossoming between Jessa and Prince Lucas. They are each fighting for their idealism but they are unable to work symbiotically. Lucas withholding necessary information to appease Jessa's fears annoy me. And Jessa's antagonistic feelings over his protection of her also bothers me. Their interactions are frustrating to read, it seems their emotions are getting in the way of the story. I really like the short inside look into the Resistance. Not much is revealed at this point and they are still a mystery player. It will be fascinating to see what role they play in the next book.
Read by Tina of tanglednbooks.blogspot.com
The story begins in a nuclear middle-class family set in a dystopian society of normals and color alchemists. The Royal Officers are questioning the children over the discovery of a recent bloodwork done for an accident that occurred six months ago. Unable to find proof that the family are harboring color alchemists, the Royal Officers left. That night, during a Royal Ballet performance, Jessa accidentally triggers the separation of purple, the color in her ballet outfit, into blue and red. This startles the Royals and she is immediately captured.
Color alchemy doesn't manifest immediately until an event triggers the power, usually found in young children. In this case, Jessa's first reaction occurs at age sixteen. Colors from everyday life can be taken and used in intricate ways. Green, for example, is the power of healing. Blue is used to enhance listening. Orange allows the alchemist to move heavy objects. Color alchemists can access purple, blue, green, yellow, and orange, while black, red, and white are a mystery.
The story is cleverly written and the idea of using colors as a power source is very creative. What I find fascinating is that no one is particularly innocent. Each person Jessa meets has an ulterior motive. What I find distracting is the romance blossoming between Jessa and Prince Lucas. They are each fighting for their idealism but they are unable to work symbiotically. Lucas withholding necessary information to appease Jessa's fears annoy me. And Jessa's antagonistic feelings over his protection of her also bothers me. Their interactions are frustrating to read, it seems their emotions are getting in the way of the story. I really like the short inside look into the Resistance. Not much is revealed at this point and they are still a mystery player. It will be fascinating to see what role they play in the next book.
Read by Tina of tanglednbooks.blogspot.com
December 2, 2017
*3 Stars I was sent a copy of this book to read and review-thank you so much! * 🌈
Prism is a YA fantasy and romance book set in a world where colour is used as the source for magic. Each colour has a different type of magic associated with it and each of the magic wielders, called 'Colour Alchemists', can access certain colours and their powers. When Jessa unintentionally reveals she is an Alchemist in her ballet performance in front of some important ruling members, she is thrown into not only the world of Royalty due to her growing friendship with the Prince but also into the world of Colour Alchemy, which is a highly protected skill and features a highly trained army. I thought the storyline was interesting to read and very fast paced, which is welcome in the first book in a fantasy series that can sometimes focus on an information dump about the setting and the lore. The different take on magic and the intricacies of the power also was something I had never read before. It could really be explored in more depth and has a lot of different directions it can go in for the future books. I did find it became cliche at some points, especially at the end and with the romance subplots. If these were not so predictable and did not have the whole 'every one is infatuated with the main character' storyline it would have taken this book to the next level in terms of a YA fantasy book for me. Overall I like the concept with the magic and how it fits into the world and thought the storyline focusing on the role of Colour Alchemists in society as well as Jessa's struggles in fitting into this new life makes me interested to see where the next book goes.
What I Liked
The unique take on magic- Like I mentioned before I have not read anything that features magic that is linked to colours. I'm really keen to see where this idea goes and learn more about the intricacies of red and white magic, which are currently unknowns in the world Prism is set.
The interesting twist at the end- It is always hard to talk about twists and revelations in reviews because spoiling it would ruin the impact of the big reveal! I did enjoy where some of the characters were going by the end of the book, especially Lucas's character-who started out rebelling against his father and trying to save his mother, but also realised there was some more at stake with his activities.
What I Didn't Like
A little too many cliches and instant romance- I just really cannot get into romance storylines where for some reason all of the guys are infatuated with the seemingly ordinary and oblivious main character. If this intended love triangle was framed in a different way and not the 'insta-love' cliche it turned out to be, I think it would have had a lot more of an impact.
February 12, 2019
Ehhhhhh....... It's like a 2.5? :/
This wasn't a bad read, but it's also nothing special. Very simple world building and villainy and characters and motivations. Jessa is a typical YA teen protagonist who cries easy, is stubborn, is easy swayed, and makes rash choices on the basis of childish black and white style morals. It's a quick, direct read without anything surprising or especially tantalizing. The writing is passable, the development is tolerable... it's definitely for younger audiences or people who can't quite commit to the size of some bigger magic-power based dystopians.
Also, it's like, weirdly akin to Red Queen. Like the heroine is fiercely family oriented, accidentally reveals a gift she shouldn't have, is drawn into political nonsense with the royal family, has to train her powers, has to keep secrets, works with the resistance, has a family member with a hidden secret that'll be a reveal, there's an association with the color red, the world was once the United States but then became a fragment that has a monarchy, etc.... There are probably more comparisons but, it's not too far of a stretch to think of this as a much scaled down Red Queen story. (This series, like Red Queen, also has four books).
The idea was initially interesting, but I didn't feel like there was adequete development. Color alchemy is described very basically as "touch a color, think of what you want it do, and BAM, you did a thing." The explanations also weren't complete. I basically know what red, green, blue, and white do, but yellow, orange, purple, pink, and black? They weren't really explained. The author also tried to explain the basis of the power through... chakras....
Listen, it was fine in Avatar: The Last Airbender because that had a distinct spiritual connection connecting it back to the roots of marital arts and meditation and what not, but this series, outside of going "hmm, sounds kind of spiritual" doesn't operate under that basis in this universe. There are no gods or spirits. No one really is religious. It's the United States in like 2094 in a dystopian, alternate future world of color alchemy and the king sucks and people are lied to and brainwashed and what have you. It's weird to just try to use an existing thing when there were many other explanations for it that the author could've come up with and then she wouldn't have had to quickly shy from it and push it away after three sentences.
The romance was paltry. No real emotion. Full of whiny moments with Jessa and Luke because Luke has a playboy persona and won't tell Jessa anything and Jessa is a whiny brat who gets huffy and snotty over really tiny things and throws fits like a child because she's """"innocent""". Basically it's instalove and the characters aren't super great.
I got through the book pretty easily, but I don't know if I'll be continuing the series :/ It doesn't exactly strike me as... worth it...
This wasn't a bad read, but it's also nothing special. Very simple world building and villainy and characters and motivations. Jessa is a typical YA teen protagonist who cries easy, is stubborn, is easy swayed, and makes rash choices on the basis of childish black and white style morals. It's a quick, direct read without anything surprising or especially tantalizing. The writing is passable, the development is tolerable... it's definitely for younger audiences or people who can't quite commit to the size of some bigger magic-power based dystopians.
Also, it's like, weirdly akin to Red Queen. Like the heroine is fiercely family oriented, accidentally reveals a gift she shouldn't have, is drawn into political nonsense with the royal family, has to train her powers, has to keep secrets, works with the resistance, has a family member with a hidden secret that'll be a reveal, there's an association with the color red, the world was once the United States but then became a fragment that has a monarchy, etc.... There are probably more comparisons but, it's not too far of a stretch to think of this as a much scaled down Red Queen story. (This series, like Red Queen, also has four books).
The idea was initially interesting, but I didn't feel like there was adequete development. Color alchemy is described very basically as "touch a color, think of what you want it do, and BAM, you did a thing." The explanations also weren't complete. I basically know what red, green, blue, and white do, but yellow, orange, purple, pink, and black? They weren't really explained. The author also tried to explain the basis of the power through... chakras....
Listen, it was fine in Avatar: The Last Airbender because that had a distinct spiritual connection connecting it back to the roots of marital arts and meditation and what not, but this series, outside of going "hmm, sounds kind of spiritual" doesn't operate under that basis in this universe. There are no gods or spirits. No one really is religious. It's the United States in like 2094 in a dystopian, alternate future world of color alchemy and the king sucks and people are lied to and brainwashed and what have you. It's weird to just try to use an existing thing when there were many other explanations for it that the author could've come up with and then she wouldn't have had to quickly shy from it and push it away after three sentences.
The romance was paltry. No real emotion. Full of whiny moments with Jessa and Luke because Luke has a playboy persona and won't tell Jessa anything and Jessa is a whiny brat who gets huffy and snotty over really tiny things and throws fits like a child because she's """"innocent""". Basically it's instalove and the characters aren't super great.
I got through the book pretty easily, but I don't know if I'll be continuing the series :/ It doesn't exactly strike me as... worth it...
November 20, 2017
I loved this book. I am surprised by how much I loved this book. When I first read the summary, I was interested, but I had no idea what was actually in store. I am enamored with the concept of color alchemy and the world of Prism. Walker did a fantastic job of explaining the power and how it works, as well as showing us the futuristic world of New Colony. I ate up every tidbit of information, that was well dispersed throughout the book, giving us just the right amount to keep us knowledgeable, yet guessing at what was to come. I loved her reasoning for how this dystopia came to be, and I can't wait to find out more about the world outside of New Colony. The main character, Jessa, was so refreshing in a YA dystopian-fantasy. She wasn't whiny, had a healthy self-esteem, and a passion for ballet and family. It was also nice to see a dystopian society from a middle-class perspective, as dystopian heroes tend to be from the lowest class, and we don't often get to see that side of the world. The perspective switches between Jessa and Prince Lucas were very effective. Lucas was a likable narrator, and I really enjoyed his story line and the way it weaved with Jessa's. I appreciated the build in their relationship, and though there was a strong immediate attraction, it didn't feel like insta-love. There were a bunch of dynamic supporting characters, and all of them were integral to the action. No one felt unnecessary. The plot was thoroughly engaging, and it was very easy to read. Despite a few overly-used, repetitive phrases, I really liked Walker's writing, and recognized the distinct voices of each narrator while still remaining a cohesive style. The plot twists were great, and for the first time in a while, I actually didn't see some of them coming. I am so happy that I was given the chance to read this fantastic story, and my hopes are high for the next book!
Want to read
September 1, 2017Color alchemist? Color me surprised. xD
September 15, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect from this read. The reviews I saw made me both excited and nervous to read it. The characters are well written and the story engaging. Lucas is fab! I loved the last third of the book and the end has made me want to read book 2. I did find some of the dialogue a little repetitive at times, with the same thoughts and angst reemerging frequently at the beginning and middle of the book, however this didn't stop me enjoying the story.
Well worth a read!
Well worth a read!
November 24, 2017
Prism by Nina Walker is the first book in The Color Alchemist series. Jessa Loxley and her family are being questioned by General Faulk. She is accusing one of the girls of being a color alchemist. Jessa believes her younger sister, Lacey is responsible (she is the age when the gift starts manifesting) and wants to protect her. That night, during Jessa’s first ballet solo, unbeknownst to her she starts using color alchemy. Jessa is quickly taken into custody the Guardians of Color (GC) and escorted to the palace. Jessa is one of the rare people who can work with red and King Richard wants her trained immediately. Prince Lucas takes charge of her training, but he has an agenda of his own. Prince Lucas has seen the work his father has ordered the color alchemists to do—the devastation. When Prince Lucas was approached by the Resistance, he did not hesitate to join them. Prince Lucas knows what his father will do if he gets Jessa to manipulate the color red. Can he convince Jessa to join the Resistance? Prince Lucas has the added worry of his mother. Queen Natasha has been ill for some time and he suspects that someone is making her sick. Who is doing this to her and why? Jessa misses her family and just wants to return home. Jessa does not know who she can trust. To join Jessa and Prince Lucas on their adventure, pick up Prism.
I found Prism to be intriguing. I thought the use of color for magic a unique and creative concept (green for healing for example). The magic is based on chakras. Personally, I could have done with less romance in the story (along with teenage angst and jealousy). At times it dominated the storyline and it seemed too intense for two people that barely knew each other (especially since Jessa was only 16). I thought the story contained good writing and had a good pace. The second half of the story had a faster pace and more action (. I did find some repetition of details and a couple of contradictory statements (eliminating both would enhance the book). Prism is geared towards a young-adult audience who will just love this book. It has magic, royalty, romance, action, intrigue, mysteries and much more. I found the characters to be nicely developed and they act like normal teenagers (despite the book being set in the future in a dystopian world with magic). The point-of-view alternates between Jessa and Lucas. Readers can see the situation from both perspectives. We only get a glimpse of the Resistance and it left me wanting to know more. I especially want to find out more about Sasha. The story continues in the second installment in The Color Alchemist series in Fracture. I am giving Prism 4 out of 5 stars.
I found Prism to be intriguing. I thought the use of color for magic a unique and creative concept (green for healing for example). The magic is based on chakras. Personally, I could have done with less romance in the story (along with teenage angst and jealousy). At times it dominated the storyline and it seemed too intense for two people that barely knew each other (especially since Jessa was only 16). I thought the story contained good writing and had a good pace. The second half of the story had a faster pace and more action (. I did find some repetition of details and a couple of contradictory statements (eliminating both would enhance the book). Prism is geared towards a young-adult audience who will just love this book. It has magic, royalty, romance, action, intrigue, mysteries and much more. I found the characters to be nicely developed and they act like normal teenagers (despite the book being set in the future in a dystopian world with magic). The point-of-view alternates between Jessa and Lucas. Readers can see the situation from both perspectives. We only get a glimpse of the Resistance and it left me wanting to know more. I especially want to find out more about Sasha. The story continues in the second installment in The Color Alchemist series in Fracture. I am giving Prism 4 out of 5 stars.
January 22, 2023
This is a dystopian world where color can be manipulated by magic to do certain things depending on which color is used. All Jessa ever wanted to be was a loving daughter, devoted older sister, and a professional ballerina. But when she accidentally manipulates color during a performance, she is immediately apprehended and sent to work in the color guard because the king suspects she can manipulate red, which is extremely rare and has all sorts of applications against enemies. The rebellion, charges Prince Lucas to befriend Jessa and bring her onto their side. And so the tug of war over Jessa’s abilities begins, when all she wants to do is return home and continue being a ballerina.
I obtained the trilogy collection, but I won’t be going any further than this first book. The magic system in this book is a fascinating/original one with plenty of imagination put into deciding what each color could be used for. And the intrigue was fascinating, like what was going on with Lucas’s mother, what the government was lying to them about their world’s history, what the world was like beyond the city, etc. But the magic itself is rather muddied and generic since it’s basically just described as using ones will and intentions to draw the color off of the current object and guide it to where it’s needed. The book felt long and very little happened during it. The book was set almost exclusively within the palace. Her training session scenes were a joke. I mean, it was like they would discuss color for a bit then break for a meal or take the rest of the day off. Or she would manipulate one thing, and then take the rest of the day off. Is that how training went for other guards, do you think? Though I liked Lucas for the most part, being caught between a rock and a hard place, and I liked Sasha, what colored my opinion against the book the most was I took a dislike to Jessa the heroine. She was frivolous, selfish, self-centered, rather dumb, convinced things could go back to normal if she could get out of there (like they wouldn’t arrest her up if she got out), convinced that the whole idea of people having to either be in the guard or jail didn’t apply to her, convinced she ought to be able to talk to her family daily even though no one at the guard had any contact with their families. I kept reading in the hopes she would mature and understand basic concepts, but she kept whining throughout the book. For her age of 17, she came off really childish.
I obtained the trilogy collection, but I won’t be going any further than this first book. The magic system in this book is a fascinating/original one with plenty of imagination put into deciding what each color could be used for. And the intrigue was fascinating, like what was going on with Lucas’s mother, what the government was lying to them about their world’s history, what the world was like beyond the city, etc. But the magic itself is rather muddied and generic since it’s basically just described as using ones will and intentions to draw the color off of the current object and guide it to where it’s needed. The book felt long and very little happened during it. The book was set almost exclusively within the palace. Her training session scenes were a joke. I mean, it was like they would discuss color for a bit then break for a meal or take the rest of the day off. Or she would manipulate one thing, and then take the rest of the day off. Is that how training went for other guards, do you think? Though I liked Lucas for the most part, being caught between a rock and a hard place, and I liked Sasha, what colored my opinion against the book the most was I took a dislike to Jessa the heroine. She was frivolous, selfish, self-centered, rather dumb, convinced things could go back to normal if she could get out of there (like they wouldn’t arrest her up if she got out), convinced that the whole idea of people having to either be in the guard or jail didn’t apply to her, convinced she ought to be able to talk to her family daily even though no one at the guard had any contact with their families. I kept reading in the hopes she would mature and understand basic concepts, but she kept whining throughout the book. For her age of 17, she came off really childish.
August 20, 2019
Prism shows a lot of potential in the ideas of color magic and the post apocalyptic setting and I was honestly excited to read it. However, the execution falls short, as it spends a lot of time on dragging story lines that took away from the world building and in a way made the characters fall flat.
To begin, the world building was interesting, describing a world that had fallen to decline due to supply shortages and how reverting to a monarchy would be the best choice. Though there’s hints that all this might be a lie. I like the concepts of color magic, taking influences from Eastern cultures, and the consequences of it’s use. I do like the fact that the magic is hinted not to be brand new either and the reason why it’s only recently become public knowledge. I wish the magic and world was expanded on a bit more, but considering this is the first of four books, there’s probably going to be a lot more to be explained as the series continues.
The characters, while they have their motivations, came out a bit bland and incomplete. It felt like it was one step above archetypes but was missing that something to make them really stand out as memorable characters. Jessa cared about her family, but felt like the basic “girl discovers magic powers and wishes to be normal” teenage girl. Yeah, there’s reasons because of how dangerous her powers can be, but it seemed to drag for a bit. I would have liked to know why she manifested her powers so late. Lucas is the brooding, somewhat rebellious prince detached with his parents and that the public doesn’t understand and wanting to change his country, but unsure about how to approach it. Though it could have been hinted that instead of a surprise in the last few chapters. Sasha was okay, but after a certain point, I couldn’t stand her because of what she did. The fact that she’s . I liked Eliza, but she didn’t stay long enough to really get attached to her. Most of the other characters don’t stand out either. Some of the actions the characters take felt like “we’re doing it because the plot says so” in a way.
Concerning the plot, for the most part, it’s fairly standard for the genre, but mixes the dystopian and fantasy tropes in an interesting way. It had some interesting parts, especially with some reveals and twists near the end. But for a chunk in the middle, the story and pacing dragged along this fake dating/poorly executed love triangle storyline for way too long (and it’s not because it’s a love triangle, it’s for the poor communication kills/borderline idiot plot). I get the purpose of it in the storyline to grow distrust between the characters, but felt it was milked for unneeded drama and made the characters look bad. It’s like we get a few pages of interesting development in the world and characters…and then it’s back to the dating drama, and it’s sad too, since some reveals towards the end could have been enhanced if we focused on building up to those instead of the melodrama. The switching PoVs of Jessa and Lucas deterred from the pacing a lot of the time, where big moments like didn’t have the impact that it should have since it was in the other PoV at the time. Worse, .
The prose, while vivid and somewhat put me in this world, was choppy in a lot of spots. There was also some cliched and borderline cringe inducing lines like “exhaling a breath I didn’t know I was holding”. In 2017! As a side note, I really love the cover.
Despite my issues with the story, the ending does show some promise and I’ll continue the series with Fracture.
To begin, the world building was interesting, describing a world that had fallen to decline due to supply shortages and how reverting to a monarchy would be the best choice. Though there’s hints that all this might be a lie. I like the concepts of color magic, taking influences from Eastern cultures, and the consequences of it’s use. I do like the fact that the magic is hinted not to be brand new either and the reason why it’s only recently become public knowledge. I wish the magic and world was expanded on a bit more, but considering this is the first of four books, there’s probably going to be a lot more to be explained as the series continues.
The characters, while they have their motivations, came out a bit bland and incomplete. It felt like it was one step above archetypes but was missing that something to make them really stand out as memorable characters. Jessa cared about her family, but felt like the basic “girl discovers magic powers and wishes to be normal” teenage girl. Yeah, there’s reasons because of how dangerous her powers can be, but it seemed to drag for a bit. I would have liked to know why she manifested her powers so late. Lucas is the brooding, somewhat rebellious prince detached with his parents and that the public doesn’t understand and wanting to change his country, but unsure about how to approach it. Though it could have been hinted that instead of a surprise in the last few chapters. Sasha was okay, but after a certain point, I couldn’t stand her because of what she did. The fact that she’s . I liked Eliza, but she didn’t stay long enough to really get attached to her. Most of the other characters don’t stand out either. Some of the actions the characters take felt like “we’re doing it because the plot says so” in a way.
Concerning the plot, for the most part, it’s fairly standard for the genre, but mixes the dystopian and fantasy tropes in an interesting way. It had some interesting parts, especially with some reveals and twists near the end. But for a chunk in the middle, the story and pacing dragged along this fake dating/poorly executed love triangle storyline for way too long (and it’s not because it’s a love triangle, it’s for the poor communication kills/borderline idiot plot). I get the purpose of it in the storyline to grow distrust between the characters, but felt it was milked for unneeded drama and made the characters look bad. It’s like we get a few pages of interesting development in the world and characters…and then it’s back to the dating drama, and it’s sad too, since some reveals towards the end could have been enhanced if we focused on building up to those instead of the melodrama. The switching PoVs of Jessa and Lucas deterred from the pacing a lot of the time, where big moments like didn’t have the impact that it should have since it was in the other PoV at the time. Worse, .
The prose, while vivid and somewhat put me in this world, was choppy in a lot of spots. There was also some cliched and borderline cringe inducing lines like “exhaling a breath I didn’t know I was holding”. In 2017! As a side note, I really love the cover.
Despite my issues with the story, the ending does show some promise and I’ll continue the series with Fracture.
April 2, 2018
My favorite genre is YA fantasy and so I was excited to read “Prism.” I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and appreciated some of the new ideas of magic and fantasy that Walker included. I was actually surprised to find out that this was Walker’s first published novel as it does not read like a first novel.
The novel is set in a dystopian world where the New Colony Kingdom has overthrown other countries and kingdoms and is the main ruler. Partly the reason the New Colony Kingdom has been successful is due to its knowledge and use of alchemy based on colors. Color alchemy is based on the seven chakra centers of the body and each color is focused on a specific purpose. Green color alchemists can use the color to heal. It is rare that a color alchemist can access and use more than one color, but the main character Jessa Loxley is one such person. She spent most of her childhood unaware of her talent, but then had it manifest during a ballet performance.
The rest of the novel is her coming to terms with her abilities and her changed situation as she was made to go live at the home of the King.
I thought Jessa was a believable character and that the other characters are also multi-dimensional. The plot moves quickly and doesn’t drag, which I appreciate. This was a fun and interesting YA dystopian fantasy read.
The novel is set in a dystopian world where the New Colony Kingdom has overthrown other countries and kingdoms and is the main ruler. Partly the reason the New Colony Kingdom has been successful is due to its knowledge and use of alchemy based on colors. Color alchemy is based on the seven chakra centers of the body and each color is focused on a specific purpose. Green color alchemists can use the color to heal. It is rare that a color alchemist can access and use more than one color, but the main character Jessa Loxley is one such person. She spent most of her childhood unaware of her talent, but then had it manifest during a ballet performance.
The rest of the novel is her coming to terms with her abilities and her changed situation as she was made to go live at the home of the King.
I thought Jessa was a believable character and that the other characters are also multi-dimensional. The plot moves quickly and doesn’t drag, which I appreciate. This was a fun and interesting YA dystopian fantasy read.
April 4, 2019
This book was such a breath of fresh air. The premise was phenomenal and entirely unique. The characters were engaging. And the history contained within the novel is believable.
I don't normally like books with alternating points of view, but it worked for this one. Each of the characters felt unique, rather than reading the same persona with a different name.
I would try to point out flaws, but none are coming to mind. I noticed a few grammar errors and sometimes the dialogue wasn't entirely executed clearly enough from a technical standpoint. But, I found I was able to overlook that purely because of how much I enjoyed the book.
I don't normally like books with alternating points of view, but it worked for this one. Each of the characters felt unique, rather than reading the same persona with a different name.
I would try to point out flaws, but none are coming to mind. I noticed a few grammar errors and sometimes the dialogue wasn't entirely executed clearly enough from a technical standpoint. But, I found I was able to overlook that purely because of how much I enjoyed the book.
March 12, 2020
Alright
This is an interesting concept that fell just a bit flat for me, mainly because of the flow of the story, not the writing itself. It was still engaging enough to read totally and the culprit at the end was a surprise, so that was nice.
First person, multiple POV, PNR, YA, Cliffhanger
Romantic dynamic = M/F
Character age range = 16+
Pros:
- Decent concept.
- Colors!
- I rather liked Sasha.
Cons:
- Explain The colors more. You can use more than one?
- stilted at times.
This is an interesting concept that fell just a bit flat for me, mainly because of the flow of the story, not the writing itself. It was still engaging enough to read totally and the culprit at the end was a surprise, so that was nice.
First person, multiple POV, PNR, YA, Cliffhanger
Romantic dynamic = M/F
Character age range = 16+
Pros:
- Decent concept.
- Colors!
- I rather liked Sasha.
Cons:
- Explain The colors more. You can use more than one?
- stilted at times.
January 9, 2019
pooled ink Reviews:
A fun concept and a quick light read. Definitely a good choice if you're on the hunt for some YA dystopia with romance and a very unique magic system. If I'm honest I think it could have used some fine tuning here and there, often with bits of dialogue, because it had moments where it felt a bit forced or cheesy, and there were some plot inconsistencies as well but hey, overall it was a fun book to pass the time :)
A fun concept and a quick light read. Definitely a good choice if you're on the hunt for some YA dystopia with romance and a very unique magic system. If I'm honest I think it could have used some fine tuning here and there, often with bits of dialogue, because it had moments where it felt a bit forced or cheesy, and there were some plot inconsistencies as well but hey, overall it was a fun book to pass the time :)
April 20, 2018
A wonderful and inventive dystopian tale!
August 15, 2018
Prism
Thank you Nina for this magical story around the powerful chakra colors. It is a grand adventure that I really enjoyed.
Thank you Nina for this magical story around the powerful chakra colors. It is a grand adventure that I really enjoyed.
January 12, 2019
DNF
The idea of color alchemy was very interesting, but the writing is making it hard for me to finish the book.
The idea of color alchemy was very interesting, but the writing is making it hard for me to finish the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2019
I would actually rate this novel a 3.5 stars. I felt like this was a great start to this series. This cover is beyond gorgeous. Actually all of the covers for this series are completely beautiful.
I loved Lucas as a main character. He is very complex and I loved his journey from the beginning. There were many twists and turns this story took and while there were a lot that I guess or had hunches about; there were some that I did not see coming.
I cannot wait to see more of where these characters go; from Jessa being able to access red, to Lucas having his own fight, Sasha and her secrets and now what steps Richard is going to take next.
I feel like this series is just going to keep getting better and better and I am all for that.
I loved Lucas as a main character. He is very complex and I loved his journey from the beginning. There were many twists and turns this story took and while there were a lot that I guess or had hunches about; there were some that I did not see coming.
I cannot wait to see more of where these characters go; from Jessa being able to access red, to Lucas having his own fight, Sasha and her secrets and now what steps Richard is going to take next.
I feel like this series is just going to keep getting better and better and I am all for that.
June 14, 2019
As with many books in the YA/NA fantasy genre, this book has a cool core concept baked into a paper thin plot and almost non-existent characterization.
The good news is that it took me about a day to read the first book and I have the whole series on KU, so I’ll probably just keep reading to see more application of the chakra/color alchemy. Let’s hope the characters get better, though, because so far they’ve been complete idiots, regardless of age, gender, and social standing.
Off the top of my head:
• JESSA is the only witness to her little sister’s accident, she remembers every detail, how she felt, what she thought, anything that happened including the inner peace she felt and how everything was set to rights as soon as she wished it... yet she still believes that Lacey’s the color alchemist and not herself.
Later on she decides that she’d rather be locked up as dangerous than continue training. She also thinks that she’d love to run away and join her family. Yet she chooses not to run away because she’d be locked up if found. Which is what she wished for only a few minutes earlier.
• The PROTECTORATE depends almost entirely on color alchemists who, once discovered in infancy are taken from their families forever. At the same time regular people are tested once a year to make sure they’re in the correct path and career for the common and individual good. And yet the system relies on families to denounce (and consequently give up) their children when they show signs of alchemy, making it a criminal offense to hide it. Pure genius.
I’m not a despotic and power-hungry monarch, but I’d wager that the system would be more efficient if children were routinely tested for alchemy. And maybe the families could receive some kind of bonus for their children being inducted into the GC. But that’s just me. Also, if a family produces a very gifted alchemist who runs away after a few years in the GC, you might want to keep an extra eye on them and maybe test the other children instead of acting all surprised and affronted when they do end up being alchemists themselves.
• KING RICHARD, the aforementioned despotic and power-hungry monarch, has only one heir. He keeps him at a distance and makes him feel useless and forlorn. I’m sure that’s the best way to groom a successor who will love you, respect you, and one day duly follow in your footsteps.
He’s also obsessed with color alchemy, considers alchemists weird and dangerous and a force to be strictly controlled, and yet apparently has no clue that his own wife has been manipulated for years through alchemy.
• PRINCE LUCAS discovers early on that his father is (apparently) a despotic and power-hungry monarch. Instead of discussing this with his own family, he spies on his father and joins forces with a mysterious non-violent Resistance which he knows nothing about. He does extensive research on color alchemy and the GC and when Jessa is found he realizes there was another Loxley alchemist a few years before who disappeared. Sasha tells him she was GC yet ran away as a child. She’s the right age. He doesn’t even come close to thinking that she might be the missing Loxley, nor does she ask her about a missing young alchemist who should be her age and might be hiding within the Resistance herself.
After Thomas tells him he’s the one who’d been messing with the Queen in order to manipulate the King, he never stops and thinks that his father may not be as guilty as he’s believed for years.
Also, he actively forgets to check on Jessa’s family, despite Jessa being his main concern.
• The RESISTANCE is a non-violent movement trying to obtain social changes within New Colony. Alchemists are New Colony’s biggest asset. They routinely recruit alchemists to their cause and even got Francesca/Sasha out when she was very young. And yet not even they thought about keeping an eye on the other Loxley girls and/or get the whole family out until much later.
• THOMAS maneuvered the King so well through the Queen that he was demoted to second-in-command to Faulk.
• FAULK... she’s basically less idiotic character in bunch, although she levels with adolescents in her squabbles. Also, it doesn’t really make much sense for a soldier (albeit a General) to treat the Crown Prince as a brat and a mere nuisance. He could become her boss at any point in time: not smart.
Plotwise, I may add that if a character has a great secret that he or she’s hiding, you either avoid first person narrative or you have to strongly hint at the secret at some point, especially when he’s thinking about that specific topic. You can’t have the secret come up from nowhere in the final chapters after having spent half the book in the character’s head.
The good news is that it took me about a day to read the first book and I have the whole series on KU, so I’ll probably just keep reading to see more application of the chakra/color alchemy. Let’s hope the characters get better, though, because so far they’ve been complete idiots, regardless of age, gender, and social standing.
Off the top of my head:
• JESSA is the only witness to her little sister’s accident, she remembers every detail, how she felt, what she thought, anything that happened including the inner peace she felt and how everything was set to rights as soon as she wished it... yet she still believes that Lacey’s the color alchemist and not herself.
Later on she decides that she’d rather be locked up as dangerous than continue training. She also thinks that she’d love to run away and join her family. Yet she chooses not to run away because she’d be locked up if found. Which is what she wished for only a few minutes earlier.
• The PROTECTORATE depends almost entirely on color alchemists who, once discovered in infancy are taken from their families forever. At the same time regular people are tested once a year to make sure they’re in the correct path and career for the common and individual good. And yet the system relies on families to denounce (and consequently give up) their children when they show signs of alchemy, making it a criminal offense to hide it. Pure genius.
I’m not a despotic and power-hungry monarch, but I’d wager that the system would be more efficient if children were routinely tested for alchemy. And maybe the families could receive some kind of bonus for their children being inducted into the GC. But that’s just me. Also, if a family produces a very gifted alchemist who runs away after a few years in the GC, you might want to keep an extra eye on them and maybe test the other children instead of acting all surprised and affronted when they do end up being alchemists themselves.
• KING RICHARD, the aforementioned despotic and power-hungry monarch, has only one heir. He keeps him at a distance and makes him feel useless and forlorn. I’m sure that’s the best way to groom a successor who will love you, respect you, and one day duly follow in your footsteps.
He’s also obsessed with color alchemy, considers alchemists weird and dangerous and a force to be strictly controlled, and yet apparently has no clue that his own wife has been manipulated for years through alchemy.
• PRINCE LUCAS discovers early on that his father is (apparently) a despotic and power-hungry monarch. Instead of discussing this with his own family, he spies on his father and joins forces with a mysterious non-violent Resistance which he knows nothing about. He does extensive research on color alchemy and the GC and when Jessa is found he realizes there was another Loxley alchemist a few years before who disappeared. Sasha tells him she was GC yet ran away as a child. She’s the right age. He doesn’t even come close to thinking that she might be the missing Loxley, nor does she ask her about a missing young alchemist who should be her age and might be hiding within the Resistance herself.
After Thomas tells him he’s the one who’d been messing with the Queen in order to manipulate the King, he never stops and thinks that his father may not be as guilty as he’s believed for years.
Also, he actively forgets to check on Jessa’s family, despite Jessa being his main concern.
• The RESISTANCE is a non-violent movement trying to obtain social changes within New Colony. Alchemists are New Colony’s biggest asset. They routinely recruit alchemists to their cause and even got Francesca/Sasha out when she was very young. And yet not even they thought about keeping an eye on the other Loxley girls and/or get the whole family out until much later.
• THOMAS maneuvered the King so well through the Queen that he was demoted to second-in-command to Faulk.
• FAULK... she’s basically less idiotic character in bunch, although she levels with adolescents in her squabbles. Also, it doesn’t really make much sense for a soldier (albeit a General) to treat the Crown Prince as a brat and a mere nuisance. He could become her boss at any point in time: not smart.
Plotwise, I may add that if a character has a great secret that he or she’s hiding, you either avoid first person narrative or you have to strongly hint at the secret at some point, especially when he’s thinking about that specific topic. You can’t have the secret come up from nowhere in the final chapters after having spent half the book in the character’s head.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 4, 2020what did i just read
More suited for middle schoolers. The amount of times she went over everything that happened and reintroduced characters was an insult to the readers" intelligence. You could skim read and still know exactly what was going on. I felt no attachment to any of the characters except Natasha.
More suited for middle schoolers. The amount of times she went over everything that happened and reintroduced characters was an insult to the readers" intelligence. You could skim read and still know exactly what was going on. I felt no attachment to any of the characters except Natasha.
March 19, 2018
I'm a sucker for anything supernatural, whether it's fairy related, ghosts, witches, or just magic in general. And this book did not disappoint! It's a new take on magic, with the characters being able to manipulate colors to perform their magic in a dystopian type society. I also like it how in these dystopian books, the author gives ideas of where these places are located in our time and world. Same thing was done with Hunger Games and Divergent. The characters were very easy to relate to and I was sucked into the story from the first page. For a first time, self published author, I could not be more please and excited to see what comes next!
January 3, 2019
Loved it! Can’t wait to read Book 3. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next the plot twisted! I love how the author keeps you guessing! I’m devouring this series!
August 31, 2019
2.5
Reader thoughts: There were so many things I liked! But also so many things I disliked. (Mostly, I think the romance rubbed me the wrong way, but I get picky with romance, especially between teens.)
The magic was so neat! But it wasn't ever really explained. We see it used about three times (5 if the two orange ones count?) in the first 2/3 of the book. All of Jessa's training happens off-page except 2 lessons, and one of those is just talking. We don't even get a summary of her lessons. Readers are just told that there were lessons. (Except she has no idea how to control her magic at the end of the book, even though she kept being suddenly amazing with it.)
Actually, we don't see much of what the prince does, either. I'd like to assume he's doing all-important kingdom stuff, but his only job seems to be watching Jessa (I can't call it overseeing her training since all he did there was order her trainer to give her a day off). Oh, and he tries to betray his father, not that he does well at that either. What is he DOING all day? Is he meeting with councilors and ambassadors? Is he visiting mayors and tradesmen and schools? No. Every time we see him, he is pining for Jessa, going on dates with Sasha, dreaming about Jessa, asking the rebellion for a job, or lying to Jessa. He sounds lazy, spoiled, and unintelligent half the time.
As for Jessa, she is certainly strong-spirited. She bounces back quickly from disappointment. She tries to make the best of all situations. This is great. What's not great, however, is her utter lack of any planning. She decides to hide Much later, she jumps So, she didn't seem very intelligent either.
Then, there was Sasha, the smartest one of the bunch. At first, her flirty game with the prince was cool. It game them good reasons to be seen together and to sneak away together. But she wouldn't tell the prince anything. She kept saying that there was a plan but wouldn't explain anything. At least it was clear that she knew stuff.
So, I spent much of this book annoyed at the characters for being thickheaded. I also spent much of this book wanting to see more alchemy.
I also didn't get to see as much of the society as I wanted. There's a palace, schools, tests to qualify for their jobs each year (interesting idea that's not totally unreasonable), and only people who test mediocre and above can let their kids take art after school. Trains are free, few people drive, and a couple have helicopters, even the resistance. This is somehow the only colony that survived the collapse of the world. How? Because of color alchemy? Then why don't we get to see it being used in the public more? What do the color alchemists do? Are there many people who are discontent? How do they think they can build society in a better way? What are the other countries doing?
I liked the idea of a colony (kingdom? Set of states?) going back to monarchy instead of democracy because it's more stable. Ha! I mean, I like the idea, but I wouldn't agree with it. A monarchy is more romantic than a democracy is, too. Plus, you get a prince.
I probably am not curious enough to read the rest of the trilogy. I will, however, give the authors other books a try.
Writer thoughts: Perhaps part of this book's problem is that it skipped over much of the character's struggles. Readers did not get to see the characters trying and failing and sweating and straining.
Did Jessa ever flop into her bed at the end of a training session with muscles that felt like jelly or with an aching head and colors swimming around her thoughts? Did she ever have to pretend to try to access red in front of her trainer but didn't because she was keeping her promise to Lucas?
Did Lucas ever lose sleep because he was staying up late to find out more information about the shadowlands or about the resistance or about medical technology or about medical alchemy?
Did Sasha ever nearly have a heart attack for being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?
These would have been interesting. Struggles are what brings characters to life for me. Show your characters learning and failing and trying and trying and failing and learning. Don't let the reader ever assume anything was easy, else the characters won't seem heroic because then anybody could do it.
Reader thoughts: There were so many things I liked! But also so many things I disliked. (Mostly, I think the romance rubbed me the wrong way, but I get picky with romance, especially between teens.)
The magic was so neat! But it wasn't ever really explained. We see it used about three times (5 if the two orange ones count?) in the first 2/3 of the book. All of Jessa's training happens off-page except 2 lessons, and one of those is just talking. We don't even get a summary of her lessons. Readers are just told that there were lessons. (Except she has no idea how to control her magic at the end of the book, even though she kept being suddenly amazing with it.)
Actually, we don't see much of what the prince does, either. I'd like to assume he's doing all-important kingdom stuff, but his only job seems to be watching Jessa (I can't call it overseeing her training since all he did there was order her trainer to give her a day off). Oh, and he tries to betray his father, not that he does well at that either. What is he DOING all day? Is he meeting with councilors and ambassadors? Is he visiting mayors and tradesmen and schools? No. Every time we see him, he is pining for Jessa, going on dates with Sasha, dreaming about Jessa, asking the rebellion for a job, or lying to Jessa. He sounds lazy, spoiled, and unintelligent half the time.
As for Jessa, she is certainly strong-spirited. She bounces back quickly from disappointment. She tries to make the best of all situations. This is great. What's not great, however, is her utter lack of any planning. She decides to hide Much later, she jumps So, she didn't seem very intelligent either.
Then, there was Sasha, the smartest one of the bunch. At first, her flirty game with the prince was cool. It game them good reasons to be seen together and to sneak away together. But she wouldn't tell the prince anything. She kept saying that there was a plan but wouldn't explain anything. At least it was clear that she knew stuff.
So, I spent much of this book annoyed at the characters for being thickheaded. I also spent much of this book wanting to see more alchemy.
I also didn't get to see as much of the society as I wanted. There's a palace, schools, tests to qualify for their jobs each year (interesting idea that's not totally unreasonable), and only people who test mediocre and above can let their kids take art after school. Trains are free, few people drive, and a couple have helicopters, even the resistance. This is somehow the only colony that survived the collapse of the world. How? Because of color alchemy? Then why don't we get to see it being used in the public more? What do the color alchemists do? Are there many people who are discontent? How do they think they can build society in a better way? What are the other countries doing?
I liked the idea of a colony (kingdom? Set of states?) going back to monarchy instead of democracy because it's more stable. Ha! I mean, I like the idea, but I wouldn't agree with it. A monarchy is more romantic than a democracy is, too. Plus, you get a prince.
I probably am not curious enough to read the rest of the trilogy. I will, however, give the authors other books a try.
Writer thoughts: Perhaps part of this book's problem is that it skipped over much of the character's struggles. Readers did not get to see the characters trying and failing and sweating and straining.
Did Jessa ever flop into her bed at the end of a training session with muscles that felt like jelly or with an aching head and colors swimming around her thoughts? Did she ever have to pretend to try to access red in front of her trainer but didn't because she was keeping her promise to Lucas?
Did Lucas ever lose sleep because he was staying up late to find out more information about the shadowlands or about the resistance or about medical technology or about medical alchemy?
Did Sasha ever nearly have a heart attack for being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?
These would have been interesting. Struggles are what brings characters to life for me. Show your characters learning and failing and trying and trying and failing and learning. Don't let the reader ever assume anything was easy, else the characters won't seem heroic because then anybody could do it.
August 20, 2018
Couldn’t finish
I was excited when I saw the book and read about color alchemy. It was a novel concept and I loved it - but I literally couldn’t bring myself to finish the book. I had issues with the whole insta-love thing she had going on with the prince. Jessa herself came off as weak and almost pathetic, way more child-like than her 16 years. I suppose that could be explained away by her environment, but even then...Other than that, the writing just struck me as poor. Things kept getting repeated and I feel like I got lost in some scenes. It’s a shame. I really would like the author to come back and edit/rewrite the book as they gain more experience and improve. They could also hire an editor (or a better one)
I was excited when I saw the book and read about color alchemy. It was a novel concept and I loved it - but I literally couldn’t bring myself to finish the book. I had issues with the whole insta-love thing she had going on with the prince. Jessa herself came off as weak and almost pathetic, way more child-like than her 16 years. I suppose that could be explained away by her environment, but even then...Other than that, the writing just struck me as poor. Things kept getting repeated and I feel like I got lost in some scenes. It’s a shame. I really would like the author to come back and edit/rewrite the book as they gain more experience and improve. They could also hire an editor (or a better one)
January 24, 2018
Look, I'm guilty as charged: I picked up this book because of the cover. (I do this a lot. I'm not ashamed.) But that also means I get what I deserve. The premise of this book is good--and it does try to wrestle with some meatier themes, to its credit--but the writing is...not good? Just not for me? All I know is that while I'm glad I gave this a shot, I won't be picking up the sequel. --M
January 9, 2019
With a new twist into the world of alchemy and a slide into a dystopian setting, this is a of intrigue, tension, and royal romance.
Jessa's dreams are about to come true. That night she will perform a solo on the stage, and the royal family will even be there to witness it. She's on the best way to becoming a professional ballerina. But that afternoon, royal guards appear at her door, accusing her little sister of performing color alchemy—the failure to report an alchemist is punishable by death. Jessa needs to protect her sister no matter what, but the lie is soon revealed when Jessa herself unknowingly unleashes color alchemy during her performance—an ability she had no idea she possessed. Being too old for training, her death is eminent. But the king noticed the one thing that will keep her alive, she can access red alchemy, a rare ability no one else has every done. He will do anything to have control of this color—anything to have control over her.
This was a fascinating take on alchemy and colors, and I enjoyed watching it shift into a dystopian world. The author centers the logic around the seven chakras, which works well enough to keep the story interesting and entertaining. While the evil government, as very often seen in dystopians, is the terrifying force, and there's the opposing resistance, the balance between the two remains foggy enough to keep things unclear questinable even by the end of this book. In other words, there's much more to come in the rest of the series.
The characters are easy to cheer for or hate (depending on which one), and there are gray ones in between, whose intentions are impossible to guess. Even here, it appears that the series will twist and turn in all sorts of directions as it continues. Jessa is determined, loves her family, ready to take risks, but sometimes, a little slow on catching things or too quick in decisions. Her desires are pure, however, making her a true heroine to follow. Lucas also is a prince with doubt and secrets, but one with a heart probably even purer than that of Jessa. The flip-flop in the point of view between the two allows both to come through clearly and sympathize with. There is a bit of instant-romance, but there are enough secrets and struggles on this front to keep it from growing too cliche or simple.
There was never a boring moment, making it difficult to put the book down. I easily read it in one sitting and enjoyed every moment. Although not action packed, the tension remains high the entire way through, and there's a wonderful weave of secrets and emotions. There are a few moments which hit with a stumble, and the ending comes across rushed. The last big discovery hit too sudden, without enough build-up on the 'evil' guy's side, and resulted in a too nicely-packed conclusion. Still, it wasn't enough to frustrate me to the point of not wanting to continue the series. I am looking forward to hitting book two and am curious to see where all of this goes next.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading this tale so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Jessa's dreams are about to come true. That night she will perform a solo on the stage, and the royal family will even be there to witness it. She's on the best way to becoming a professional ballerina. But that afternoon, royal guards appear at her door, accusing her little sister of performing color alchemy—the failure to report an alchemist is punishable by death. Jessa needs to protect her sister no matter what, but the lie is soon revealed when Jessa herself unknowingly unleashes color alchemy during her performance—an ability she had no idea she possessed. Being too old for training, her death is eminent. But the king noticed the one thing that will keep her alive, she can access red alchemy, a rare ability no one else has every done. He will do anything to have control of this color—anything to have control over her.
This was a fascinating take on alchemy and colors, and I enjoyed watching it shift into a dystopian world. The author centers the logic around the seven chakras, which works well enough to keep the story interesting and entertaining. While the evil government, as very often seen in dystopians, is the terrifying force, and there's the opposing resistance, the balance between the two remains foggy enough to keep things unclear questinable even by the end of this book. In other words, there's much more to come in the rest of the series.
The characters are easy to cheer for or hate (depending on which one), and there are gray ones in between, whose intentions are impossible to guess. Even here, it appears that the series will twist and turn in all sorts of directions as it continues. Jessa is determined, loves her family, ready to take risks, but sometimes, a little slow on catching things or too quick in decisions. Her desires are pure, however, making her a true heroine to follow. Lucas also is a prince with doubt and secrets, but one with a heart probably even purer than that of Jessa. The flip-flop in the point of view between the two allows both to come through clearly and sympathize with. There is a bit of instant-romance, but there are enough secrets and struggles on this front to keep it from growing too cliche or simple.
There was never a boring moment, making it difficult to put the book down. I easily read it in one sitting and enjoyed every moment. Although not action packed, the tension remains high the entire way through, and there's a wonderful weave of secrets and emotions. There are a few moments which hit with a stumble, and the ending comes across rushed. The last big discovery hit too sudden, without enough build-up on the 'evil' guy's side, and resulted in a too nicely-packed conclusion. Still, it wasn't enough to frustrate me to the point of not wanting to continue the series. I am looking forward to hitting book two and am curious to see where all of this goes next.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading this tale so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
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