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COLORING LIFE: Secrets, secrets are no fun when you hide them from everyone.
Looking at Julie, you would think she has it all. Beauty, a big house, and a successful husband, but everything is not as it seems. Julie's lifelong search for love and acceptance has led her on a journey of self-destruction. What started as a little girl's dream to live behind a picket fence has become the beginning of her undoing. "She steps out of her car; her long, lean legs precede her. Her dark hair is perfectly coiffed, and her designer sunglasses hide her bloodshot eyes. She waves at her neighbors while unstrapping her children from the backseat. Leading them by the hands, she whispers to herself, God, I hate them. "
286 pages, Paperback
Published March 5, 2021
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Vikki Alexander
3 books29 followersI am a mother, wife, and writer. I am probably a lot like you.
I have written for as long as I can remember. It is a place where I go to find answers to questions I didn't even know I had.
Thank you for taking the time to read my novels. I do hope you have found them both entertaining and profound. Now that Julie and Sarah's stories are out in the world, book three will follow up on what happens later in their lives.
I hope you enjoy both Coloring Life and The Many Loves of Sarah Brennan. Please don't forget to leave a review. Cyber-hugs.
I have written for as long as I can remember. It is a place where I go to find answers to questions I didn't even know I had.
Thank you for taking the time to read my novels. I do hope you have found them both entertaining and profound. Now that Julie and Sarah's stories are out in the world, book three will follow up on what happens later in their lives.
I hope you enjoy both Coloring Life and The Many Loves of Sarah Brennan. Please don't forget to leave a review. Cyber-hugs.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 17, 2021
So I just finished reading my copy of “Coloring Life”! I sat down with my early morning coffee and began reading and time just slipped away from me.. I became hooked and everything in our world disappeared.. so fun to to get lost in such a great novel!!! The only problem now is; when is the sequel being released!
April 5, 2021
Once you open the door you can't go back
I have to admit there were parts in the book that brought up similar experiences in my own life, good and bad. And as it ebbed and flowed, I found myself routing for the main character , praying she would become whole.
I highly recommend this book if you want to read what happens in the real world.
I have to admit there were parts in the book that brought up similar experiences in my own life, good and bad. And as it ebbed and flowed, I found myself routing for the main character , praying she would become whole.
I highly recommend this book if you want to read what happens in the real world.
June 7, 2021
A vulnerable heartfelt portrayal of one woman's journey to setting herself free from the punishing grip of the past and reclaiming her life. I highly recommend this compelling read!
May 28, 2021
I truly loved this story. It was so wonderfully written with so many ups and downs. One moment you're hating characters only to love them the next. I would be cheering for one thing to happen, then be surprised by the outcome and left in a puddle of happy tears at the end! I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
April 11, 2021
Vikki Alexander's 'Colouring Life' is the story of Julie, a woman who could be any one of us. She holds a secret that threatens not only her own emotional stability but that of her marriage.
None of us are perfect. It takes courage to look deep within, to examine the fine threads that create the very essence of who we are.
As Julie struggled to find her way, I found myself turning the pages with all my senses straining toward her success.
The author has taken a sensitive subject, delicately handled and coloured within a rainbow from calm pinks and blues to violent purple and passionate red which are in the end "swirled together, creating a mosaic of colour" to the ultimate satisfaction of both heroine and reader.
None of us are perfect. It takes courage to look deep within, to examine the fine threads that create the very essence of who we are.
As Julie struggled to find her way, I found myself turning the pages with all my senses straining toward her success.
The author has taken a sensitive subject, delicately handled and coloured within a rainbow from calm pinks and blues to violent purple and passionate red which are in the end "swirled together, creating a mosaic of colour" to the ultimate satisfaction of both heroine and reader.
April 17, 2021
This is a wonderful book. Two damaged people struggle to make a life and a family
April 15, 2021
Couldn't put it down... perfect beach read!!
April 11, 2021
Perceptive and honest. For a work of fiction, I am amazed at how real this book is and how relatable Julianne’s character is- the reader gets drawn in quickly and it’s very hard to put the book down. Thank you Vikki for finding a way to show how we can all heal from this hushed up truth- ‘Let no man steal your thyme’.
March 17, 2021
Loved it! Great read, interesting and a real page turner!
September 23, 2022
This is a searing account of one woman’s descent into full breakdown, via a self-destructive path which threatens the carefully constructed life she has built for herself. As we learn more about Julie, it is clear where the damage has been done. In childhood, she experienced something no one should have to suffer and has spent the ensuing years telling herself she has moved on.
At the same time her husband, a man she adores even though his behaviour towards her seems inexplicable, is adding to her anxiety and depression. Behind a wall of respectability, they live separate lives, in the same house but with no communication. She drowns her misery in alcohol and reckless affairs. He escapes into an on-line world of porn and unavailable women.
It’s a desperately sad yet inspiring story. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, Julie and Andrew find their way back to each other. I have to say that because to just say the story is a bucket of misery might put people off, and it shouldn’t. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s important to show there can be a way through.
There are a few issues which I couldn’t ignore; the editing, basically. In my copy (and I fully accept these may have since been corrected,) there were punctuation and speech marks missing, drifting between past and present tense and also a couple of typos. Again, nothing major but in an intense read, they were enough to take me out of the story at times.
That being said, there is no doubt this is a powerful story and one that is often overlooked. Behind the designer jeans, the coiffed hair and seemingly perfect life, misery, self-doubt and depression lurks in respectable neighbourhoods all over the world. It would be too easy to dismiss women like Julie as entitled white women with too much time and too much money, but things are never as obvious as they seem. This is a brilliantly observed slice of a parallel universe, hiding in plain sight, and a timely novel when mental health is, rightly, in the forefront of many peoples’ thoughts.
At the same time her husband, a man she adores even though his behaviour towards her seems inexplicable, is adding to her anxiety and depression. Behind a wall of respectability, they live separate lives, in the same house but with no communication. She drowns her misery in alcohol and reckless affairs. He escapes into an on-line world of porn and unavailable women.
It’s a desperately sad yet inspiring story. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, Julie and Andrew find their way back to each other. I have to say that because to just say the story is a bucket of misery might put people off, and it shouldn’t. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s important to show there can be a way through.
There are a few issues which I couldn’t ignore; the editing, basically. In my copy (and I fully accept these may have since been corrected,) there were punctuation and speech marks missing, drifting between past and present tense and also a couple of typos. Again, nothing major but in an intense read, they were enough to take me out of the story at times.
That being said, there is no doubt this is a powerful story and one that is often overlooked. Behind the designer jeans, the coiffed hair and seemingly perfect life, misery, self-doubt and depression lurks in respectable neighbourhoods all over the world. It would be too easy to dismiss women like Julie as entitled white women with too much time and too much money, but things are never as obvious as they seem. This is a brilliantly observed slice of a parallel universe, hiding in plain sight, and a timely novel when mental health is, rightly, in the forefront of many peoples’ thoughts.
December 21, 2021
Vikki Alexander’s stunning debut is heartbreakingly poignant in its authenticity of a portrait of disillusionment in marriage. I really appreciated how the story traced back to the adolescence of heroine Julie and how it shaped and influenced her decisions as an adult as she enters into a courtship and later, marriage with the man she thought she knew. The author is to be commended for the masterful way she brings her relatable characters to life with realistic dialogue, keeping tensions taut and the emotions genuine. Although my choices likely would’ve differed had I been in Julie’s shoes, I appreciated her journey to forgiveness, felt her personal growth, and thoroughly enjoyed this read in every way.
June 30, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🇧🇴🇴🇰 🇷🇪🇻🇮🇪🇼
➡️Vikki Alexander sent me this book with no expectations for a review. I am happy to write one though. I knew from the first few pages that I would be giving Coloring Life a five-star rating! Julie’s story is so honest and raw. It reads like she is talking to you personally.
📖Synopsis
➡️Julie is the main character. She had a crappy childhood with a mother and father who didn’t give love or protect her. She survived the trauma by pushing it aside but doing this wreaked havoc throughout her life.
➡️She married Andrew feeling like most brides do; that she’s the luckiest woman alive. That quickly faded away as her marriage progressed. She found herself with a weirdo husband who couldn’t give her the love she needed. She attended therapy, working to figure out what to do with her out of control life. Her two children were her only happiness.
➡️Everything caught up with her eventually and she crashed. Does she recooperate? Can she stay in her marriage and be happy? Does she work through her childhood trauma?
💭My Thoughts
➡️I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in two days and was thrilled to find out there will be another book centered around Julie’s sister. Vikki Alexander writes as if she is Julie. Although I didn’t agree with many of Julie’s choices, I couldn’t wait to find out where she ended up in life. Life is complicated, hers more than anyone I know. That made it a intriguing story. Vikki has a new fan, me! I will be following her to read anything else she writes. I am thankful I asked her for this book.
🇧🇴🇴🇰 🇷🇪🇻🇮🇪🇼
➡️Vikki Alexander sent me this book with no expectations for a review. I am happy to write one though. I knew from the first few pages that I would be giving Coloring Life a five-star rating! Julie’s story is so honest and raw. It reads like she is talking to you personally.
📖Synopsis
➡️Julie is the main character. She had a crappy childhood with a mother and father who didn’t give love or protect her. She survived the trauma by pushing it aside but doing this wreaked havoc throughout her life.
➡️She married Andrew feeling like most brides do; that she’s the luckiest woman alive. That quickly faded away as her marriage progressed. She found herself with a weirdo husband who couldn’t give her the love she needed. She attended therapy, working to figure out what to do with her out of control life. Her two children were her only happiness.
➡️Everything caught up with her eventually and she crashed. Does she recooperate? Can she stay in her marriage and be happy? Does she work through her childhood trauma?
💭My Thoughts
➡️I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in two days and was thrilled to find out there will be another book centered around Julie’s sister. Vikki Alexander writes as if she is Julie. Although I didn’t agree with many of Julie’s choices, I couldn’t wait to find out where she ended up in life. Life is complicated, hers more than anyone I know. That made it a intriguing story. Vikki has a new fan, me! I will be following her to read anything else she writes. I am thankful I asked her for this book.
July 4, 2021
A deeply stunning debut
Coloring Life by Vikki Alexander
Published: March 5, 2021
Vikki Alexander
This title is available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Vikki Alexander is a mother, wife, and writer. She is probably a lot like you. She has written for as long as she can remember. It is a place where she goes to find answers to questions she didn't even know I had.
“I'm going to be all right, I thought.”
Julie has a pretty picture-perfect life, a loving husband, and two beautiful children. A lovely home and a large family. But Julie also has trauma from her past that has heavily influenced her present. Can Julie come face to face with her demons before they destroy her future?
Whoa. This was a heavy one. The themes are essential, and having an open dialogue is so necessary.
I loved the character of Julie. She is profoundly complex and has so many layers. She experiences trauma as a child, and it has more of an impact than she realizes.
I also loved Laura, and she is kind, patient, and painfully intelligent. Laura helps Julie tackle her demons and helps her realize her relevance and strength despite the little voice in Julie’s head.
A powerful novel filled with hope, forgiveness, redemption, and celebration.
Coloring Life by Vikki Alexander
Published: March 5, 2021
Vikki Alexander
This title is available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Vikki Alexander is a mother, wife, and writer. She is probably a lot like you. She has written for as long as she can remember. It is a place where she goes to find answers to questions she didn't even know I had.
“I'm going to be all right, I thought.”
Julie has a pretty picture-perfect life, a loving husband, and two beautiful children. A lovely home and a large family. But Julie also has trauma from her past that has heavily influenced her present. Can Julie come face to face with her demons before they destroy her future?
Whoa. This was a heavy one. The themes are essential, and having an open dialogue is so necessary.
I loved the character of Julie. She is profoundly complex and has so many layers. She experiences trauma as a child, and it has more of an impact than she realizes.
I also loved Laura, and she is kind, patient, and painfully intelligent. Laura helps Julie tackle her demons and helps her realize her relevance and strength despite the little voice in Julie’s head.
A powerful novel filled with hope, forgiveness, redemption, and celebration.
February 26, 2022
Have you ever wished, yearned, or burned with the desire to go home? Julie (Julianne) did. The problem was—she was already home… A scary, twisted place that not only allowed but perpetrated mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse until the harm done went soul deep.
The woman she became simply followed the pattern, learning to self-hate and self-destruct through one harmful choice after another. Something had to end and only Julianne could decide what that something would be.
Author Vikki Alexander tells this story with words and feelings that give us a clear window into Julianne’s struggles, defeats, and victories. As I turned the pages, it was hard to watch her sink deeper into her misery until even her sanity was at risk.
Hiding within the ordinary life she’d constructed, she dared to venture out of her secrets and reach for the help she needed. Like so many women today, she came to realize that the home she longed to escape to wasn’t a place, it was the feeling of home, of love, and security.
~Author provided a book for review at no charge for me. All reviews reflect my original and honest opinions, findings, beliefs, and experience as a reader. I receive no affiliate compensation from book sales on books I review.
The woman she became simply followed the pattern, learning to self-hate and self-destruct through one harmful choice after another. Something had to end and only Julianne could decide what that something would be.
Author Vikki Alexander tells this story with words and feelings that give us a clear window into Julianne’s struggles, defeats, and victories. As I turned the pages, it was hard to watch her sink deeper into her misery until even her sanity was at risk.
Hiding within the ordinary life she’d constructed, she dared to venture out of her secrets and reach for the help she needed. Like so many women today, she came to realize that the home she longed to escape to wasn’t a place, it was the feeling of home, of love, and security.
~Author provided a book for review at no charge for me. All reviews reflect my original and honest opinions, findings, beliefs, and experience as a reader. I receive no affiliate compensation from book sales on books I review.
October 3, 2021
TW: Sexual Assault, Child Molestation
From the first page, you are taken into the life perspective of MC Julie. She's married with two kids and seems like her life is perfect. But once her story unfolds, you find her canvas to be quite the colorful one due to events that haunted her since her childhood.
Alexander's writing is so natural and the story unfolds with such ease that you forget you are reading.
There were so many nuances that spoke to me especially as a fellow victim of sexual assault.
I also enjoyed the references to Julie's younger years in New Jersey as i have a kinship with the place as it is the birthplace and homing ground of both of my parents.
Overall, the Coloring Life by Vikki Alexander addresses the long term affects of PTSD and mental health issues but one message it makes clear is that: no matter the colors that have bled along your canvas, with proper self-love and self-care, the bigger picture still can become a masterpiece.
From the first page, you are taken into the life perspective of MC Julie. She's married with two kids and seems like her life is perfect. But once her story unfolds, you find her canvas to be quite the colorful one due to events that haunted her since her childhood.
Alexander's writing is so natural and the story unfolds with such ease that you forget you are reading.
There were so many nuances that spoke to me especially as a fellow victim of sexual assault.
I also enjoyed the references to Julie's younger years in New Jersey as i have a kinship with the place as it is the birthplace and homing ground of both of my parents.
Overall, the Coloring Life by Vikki Alexander addresses the long term affects of PTSD and mental health issues but one message it makes clear is that: no matter the colors that have bled along your canvas, with proper self-love and self-care, the bigger picture still can become a masterpiece.
August 11, 2022
I wasn't sure what to make of this book as I started, but the more I read, the more it reminded me of Khaled Hosseini's books. Coloring Life is deep and brutally honest. It's an exposé of life and the power our past can have over our present and how that shapes our future, unless we consciously work to create a better one. The final message is so incredibly powerful and the ending satisfying.
There were a few things that threw me off a little, but on the whole, it's quite a good book and definitely provided me with some food for thought.
There were a few things that threw me off a little, but on the whole, it's quite a good book and definitely provided me with some food for thought.
June 3, 2021
Amazing journey of finding and re-finding love
The author's telling of Julie and her out of control life is as authentic as it gets. While trying to keep up appearances on the outside, Julie's inner life careens down a windy, twisty road, driven by her past traumas and poor current decisions. The author does a fantastic job of conveying the darkness and grittiness Julie hides without being gratuitous. Great read. Highly recommend!
The author's telling of Julie and her out of control life is as authentic as it gets. While trying to keep up appearances on the outside, Julie's inner life careens down a windy, twisty road, driven by her past traumas and poor current decisions. The author does a fantastic job of conveying the darkness and grittiness Julie hides without being gratuitous. Great read. Highly recommend!
May 17, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book, it was a fast read and one I did not want to put down.Having gone through a divorce it’s amazing how life chances for you and the way people see you. I hope there will be another book from this author.
January 19, 2023
The term 'emotional rollercoaster' is overused, but this is one book that fully deserves that description. At times a difficult read, but always a worthwhile one as you follow the heroine through her traumatic life. A well-written, realistic family and personal story.
March 21, 2023
Good read
I liked how the author carries us through the main character struggles . Many of us have e had similar experiences. I also liked that there was the husband's thought process represented also.
I liked how the author carries us through the main character struggles . Many of us have e had similar experiences. I also liked that there was the husband's thought process represented also.
August 22, 2021
This was a true page turner. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews