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Sky of Seven Colors
In a strange part of the forest, the divide between worlds grows thin.
After the accident, Meg would do anything to wake her best friend from his deadly coma. At least, that’s what she whispered into the woodland shadows. She never imagined her wish would trap her in a gray other-earth, void of any color.
Meg's vibrant humanity is a priceless artifact in the gray kingdom, coveted by the royal court. All she wants to do is find a way back home. Until she discovers the other-earth contains healing powers that can save her friend. But only if Meg becomes what the gray people need—a human bride for Kalmus, the powerful king of the capital city.
With her heart torn between earths, Meg’s choices may cost more than she knows.
After the accident, Meg would do anything to wake her best friend from his deadly coma. At least, that’s what she whispered into the woodland shadows. She never imagined her wish would trap her in a gray other-earth, void of any color.
Meg's vibrant humanity is a priceless artifact in the gray kingdom, coveted by the royal court. All she wants to do is find a way back home. Until she discovers the other-earth contains healing powers that can save her friend. But only if Meg becomes what the gray people need—a human bride for Kalmus, the powerful king of the capital city.
With her heart torn between earths, Meg’s choices may cost more than she knows.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published August 8, 2023
30 people are currently reading
1377 people want to read
About the author
Rachelle Nelson
2 books198 followersRachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released in 2023 through Enclave Publishing, and was a recent Carol Award winner and Christy Award winner. Embergold, her newest standalone, releases in March 2025. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person.
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To receive a story set in the world of Sky of Seven Colors, you can sign up for Rachelle's newsletter at her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
August 16, 2025
3 stars, personally. ⭐️ Clean Fiction - YA - Portal Fantasy
About this book:
“In a strange part of the forest, the divide between worlds grows thin.
After the accident, Meg would do anything to wake her best friend from his deadly coma. At least, that’s what she whispered into the woodland shadows. She never imagined her wish would trap her in a gray other-earth, void of any color.
Meg's vibrant humanity is a priceless artifact in the gray kingdom, coveted by the royal court. All she wants to do is find a way back home. Until she discovers the other-earth contains healing powers that can save her friend. But only if Meg becomes what the gray people need—a human bride for Kalmus, the powerful king of the capital city.
With her heart torn between earths, Meg’s choices may cost more than she knows.”
Series: No, a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- Meg thanks God once; In a scary situation, Meg says a prayer for someone to be okay even though “[her] prayers had [never] been answered before” & repeats it again, noting that she tried that before when her mom was sick [and it didn’t help]; When Meg views herself through another’s grey eyes, she notes that she looks like “a fairy. An angel. Or worse”; It’s said that the gifts and the Writings of the other world come from an unseen power who was alive long before the current Croppers and Regents were born (all of the ‘H’s are not capital when referring to this unseen giver); Meg wonders if the giver of the Writings can see the future and could see her as well, so she whispers a thank you;
*Note: The word ‘magic’ is not said in this book, but there are “gifts” in the other world that Meg goes to & the people there use their gifts to heal injuries, move objects, make others sleep, grow plants quickly, & make a blind person see again (all of these are on-page and most are used on Meg, up to semi-detailed); After the accident, Meg has dreams of a voice in the forest and goes back there; When she gets there, she hears two voices and something touch her which makes her unable to move and pass out (this is the two voices bringing her with them to the thin meeting place of the earths & it causes her pain, partially due to the poison in the air; The poison continues to affect her throughout the book and she thinks she is going to die a couple of times because of it); In the other world, there are Croppers who handle the crops and can sing to use their gifts & Regents who are the leaders and use their gifts in other ways; Both of these are much taller than humans and Meg calls them giants often; The Croppers sing a song honoring the ones they are eating with before eating; The Croppers have a hibernation-like event which their Regent king blesses them with that can last many years; In that world, there are The Writings which are revered & has a prophecy that some believe to be about Meg (it is said that words of The Writings came from the same source that gave the Croppers and the Regents their gifts); The longer Meg is in the other world, the more of her memories of home disappear; Meg is told that the Regent king could heal Andrew (*Major Spoilers* ); The King of the other world is able to read Meg’s mind, so she constantly tries to keep a wall up to keep him from doing it; The King also tries to call items over from Meg’s world into the other world (*Spoilers* ); The Regent King has special gifts that are supposed to be used to help his people and the Queen Regent would have special ones as well (*Major Spoilers* ); The palace of the Regent king has halls that change and move depending on who is walking through them and their intent; A gifted tool is used to find the book on the topic the user wishes to know about; Meg is still about to feel connected to Andrew in the other world & speaks to him through his dreams; *Major Spoilers* ; Many mentions of other earths, thin places where the earths meet, & crossing over; Mentions of miracles (regarding to things happening thanks to the gifts of those in the other world); Mentions of prophecies; Mentions of rumors about ghosts & ghost stories (but Meg says she isn’t the kind of person who believes in ghosts); A few mentions of luck & being lucky; A couple mentions of the number seven being a blessed number; A mention of someone in the other world “seek[ing] the spirits in the mountains”; A mention of the long life of those in the other world originally being a curse; A mention of a children’s story about giants eating the bones of humans.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: An ‘idiot’, two ‘dumb’s, and six ‘stupid’s; Lies & Lying (due to keep secrets, including from untrustworthy characters); Meg also tries to eavesdrop but is unable to; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Nearly dying, Stabbing someone, Being kidnapped/taken, Feeling like a prisoner and being locked in a room, Being poisoned, Being choked, Pain (including major pain that Meg calls torture), Injuries, Blood/bleeding, Passing out, Being chased, & Running away (semi-detailed); Witnessing a death & blood (semi-detailed); Seeing someone with his leg ripped off & badly bleeding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing someone fall multiple feet, become unconscious, be in a coma, & bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a youth also fall from many feet (up to semi-detailed); Meg’s mother passed away prior to the book starting from cancer & Meg is grieving (including comments about her difficulty being in the hospital for someone else); Meg feels like a prisoner in the other world and like a possession of the king; Meg is given a alcohol-like drink and told it will help her be carefree (she doesn’t take another sip after the first one); Mentions of deaths, grief, someone in a coma, & the strong possibility of someone dying; Mentions of kidnappings (including Meg’s own); Mentions of criminals, thieves, & stealing; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, & pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol-like drinks & drunken behavior after having too much of it; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deceit; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of possible wars & slavery; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of someone struggling with phantom pain after losing a limb; A couple mentions of throwing up; A mention of a rumor of a man taking his life after his wife’s death;
*Note: Meg asks the Regent King if couples in his world ever split up if their marriage isn’t working and the King says that would be a failure, so Meg adds that “Marriage isn’t easy for a human either. If life’s short, you don’t want to waste it on the wrong person.”; Some prejudice from the Regents towards the Croppers (because they believe themselves to be better than them); A few mentions of Meg and Andrew calling their hikes “tree therapy”.
Sexual Content- A barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Warmth, & Nearness (including many unwanted ones, barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Meg wants to be more than just friends with Andrew because she loves him; In the other world, Meg faces many comments from others about her bearing children for the king after their marriage, including from him (which makes her think that her body won’t be her own, that humans and Regents have had children before so they “weren’t completely different” from each other, other Regents touch her abdomen and bless her, & later Meg feels like someone else is talking about her like she is an animal “meant for breeding” and only wants her for her fertility); Meg wonders if after the ceremony, will the king and her being expected to sleep in the same room (also thinking about how he wants children, but she hasn’t promised anything to him beyond the ceremony); After noticing that Meg has been unable to sleep, the king wants to use his gift to put her to rest, but Meg doesn’t want to be alone with him in her bedroom (she goes to put on her most modest nightgown and covers herself with blankets on the bed; He only touches her forehead); The king makes a comment about wanting to be alone with Meg [at night], but it doesn’t happen; The king often touches Meg and finds any reason to touch her; A female Regent shares about having the chance to have a “time” with the King (which did not result in her hopes of a child; no details besides this wording); *Major Spoilers* ; A Cropper says that her kind do not have children as fast as humans, so Meg teases and says she should get started then; Mentions of jealousy; A mention of wanting to kiss someone; A mention of an adult man probably being at his girlfriend’s place for the night;
*Note: Meg is put into dresses that she is uncomfortable in due to them hugging her curves and chest, their low necklines, showing her shoulders and thighs, & low backs (the Regent king stares at her when she wears some of these dresses & one of them is very revealing for her tastes); Meg notes her chest has always been fuller than she liked; A mention of having the usual weird dream of going to school and realizing you’re naked; A mention of most Regent men having the “secret fantasy” of having a human wife.
-Meg, age 16-17
1st person P.O.V. of Meg
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I start off a lot of my reviews of fantasy books with “it was…interesting”. Some take that to mean that I didn’t enjoy it, but I usually mean it in the way that the book was different than I expected or imagined. That’s definitely the case with this book. It was different. Interesting in some ways, but I’m also disappointed by the ending.
Going back to the beginning: I was surprisedly interested in this book shortly after starting it. I say surprisedly because while I’ve read a lot of fantasy books in recent years, portal fantasy books are always the ones my brain has a 404 error code about. They just don’t make sense to me—other earths and thin areas between them? Yeah, no, that’s super-duper fantasy talk to me. I think it would be fair to call this book high fantasy because of it? I’m not sure.
Despite my reservations about those elements, this book was written in a very simple and easy to read way. Perhaps it was because of the first-person POV, but I was able to follow along and actually read the book in less than a day in hopes of getting my reunion scene I wanted for Meg.
Which brings me back to the ending: I feel a little jipped by it. I was waiting for those scenes basically the entire book and there was barely anything? I try not to do spoilers in my final thoughts, but I’m going to have to for this book: *Major Spoilers* I was leaning to a personal rating of 3.5 stars, but with the ending, it became a 3 for me, I suppose. I was left with more questions than answers and I find myself grumbling when a book does that to me.
You could argue and say there was some very light, indirect references to God, but unless you’re looking for it, I don’t think you would pick it up. The books I’ve read by this publisher are often this way, so I was expecting to find some light hints to Christianity. I would personally call this book Clean Fiction rather than Christian Fiction. Usually, I wouldn’t review Clean Fiction books on BFCG, but because I don’t know until I start reading an Enclave book if there will be any Christian content, I often go ahead and review them on here anyway.
All of my minor dissatisfactions aside, I greatly appreciate that the main character, Meg, of this book doesn’t end up with the brooding creep. A reader can quickly tell he is manipulating her for her colors, but we’re not quite sure if he is a morally grey (no pun intended) male lead or not. I was more than ready to get rid of him, personally. I appreciate that she didn’t fall for him and it’s not a romance between them as I’ve had enough books lately where I don’t like the male lead or love interest options.
As I’ve finished this book, I’m struggling to find the point of this book. Maybe there wasn’t so much of a point rather than just an experience/escape through the fantasy elements. Because there were no Christian faith elements, though, it’s difficult for me to rate it for BFCG. I would suggest ages 15/16+, but only if the reader goes in aware that this book is on the cleaner side with no faith content.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“In a strange part of the forest, the divide between worlds grows thin.
After the accident, Meg would do anything to wake her best friend from his deadly coma. At least, that’s what she whispered into the woodland shadows. She never imagined her wish would trap her in a gray other-earth, void of any color.
Meg's vibrant humanity is a priceless artifact in the gray kingdom, coveted by the royal court. All she wants to do is find a way back home. Until she discovers the other-earth contains healing powers that can save her friend. But only if Meg becomes what the gray people need—a human bride for Kalmus, the powerful king of the capital city.
With her heart torn between earths, Meg’s choices may cost more than she knows.”
Series: No, a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- Meg thanks God once; In a scary situation, Meg says a prayer for someone to be okay even though “[her] prayers had [never] been answered before” & repeats it again, noting that she tried that before when her mom was sick [and it didn’t help]; When Meg views herself through another’s grey eyes, she notes that she looks like “a fairy. An angel. Or worse”; It’s said that the gifts and the Writings of the other world come from an unseen power who was alive long before the current Croppers and Regents were born (all of the ‘H’s are not capital when referring to this unseen giver); Meg wonders if the giver of the Writings can see the future and could see her as well, so she whispers a thank you;
*Note: The word ‘magic’ is not said in this book, but there are “gifts” in the other world that Meg goes to & the people there use their gifts to heal injuries, move objects, make others sleep, grow plants quickly, & make a blind person see again (all of these are on-page and most are used on Meg, up to semi-detailed); After the accident, Meg has dreams of a voice in the forest and goes back there; When she gets there, she hears two voices and something touch her which makes her unable to move and pass out (this is the two voices bringing her with them to the thin meeting place of the earths & it causes her pain, partially due to the poison in the air; The poison continues to affect her throughout the book and she thinks she is going to die a couple of times because of it); In the other world, there are Croppers who handle the crops and can sing to use their gifts & Regents who are the leaders and use their gifts in other ways; Both of these are much taller than humans and Meg calls them giants often; The Croppers sing a song honoring the ones they are eating with before eating; The Croppers have a hibernation-like event which their Regent king blesses them with that can last many years; In that world, there are The Writings which are revered & has a prophecy that some believe to be about Meg (it is said that words of The Writings came from the same source that gave the Croppers and the Regents their gifts); The longer Meg is in the other world, the more of her memories of home disappear; Meg is told that the Regent king could heal Andrew (*Major Spoilers* ); The King of the other world is able to read Meg’s mind, so she constantly tries to keep a wall up to keep him from doing it; The King also tries to call items over from Meg’s world into the other world (*Spoilers* ); The Regent King has special gifts that are supposed to be used to help his people and the Queen Regent would have special ones as well (*Major Spoilers* ); The palace of the Regent king has halls that change and move depending on who is walking through them and their intent; A gifted tool is used to find the book on the topic the user wishes to know about; Meg is still about to feel connected to Andrew in the other world & speaks to him through his dreams; *Major Spoilers* ; Many mentions of other earths, thin places where the earths meet, & crossing over; Mentions of miracles (regarding to things happening thanks to the gifts of those in the other world); Mentions of prophecies; Mentions of rumors about ghosts & ghost stories (but Meg says she isn’t the kind of person who believes in ghosts); A few mentions of luck & being lucky; A couple mentions of the number seven being a blessed number; A mention of someone in the other world “seek[ing] the spirits in the mountains”; A mention of the long life of those in the other world originally being a curse; A mention of a children’s story about giants eating the bones of humans.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: An ‘idiot’, two ‘dumb’s, and six ‘stupid’s; Lies & Lying (due to keep secrets, including from untrustworthy characters); Meg also tries to eavesdrop but is unable to; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Nearly dying, Stabbing someone, Being kidnapped/taken, Feeling like a prisoner and being locked in a room, Being poisoned, Being choked, Pain (including major pain that Meg calls torture), Injuries, Blood/bleeding, Passing out, Being chased, & Running away (semi-detailed); Witnessing a death & blood (semi-detailed); Seeing someone with his leg ripped off & badly bleeding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing someone fall multiple feet, become unconscious, be in a coma, & bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a youth also fall from many feet (up to semi-detailed); Meg’s mother passed away prior to the book starting from cancer & Meg is grieving (including comments about her difficulty being in the hospital for someone else); Meg feels like a prisoner in the other world and like a possession of the king; Meg is given a alcohol-like drink and told it will help her be carefree (she doesn’t take another sip after the first one); Mentions of deaths, grief, someone in a coma, & the strong possibility of someone dying; Mentions of kidnappings (including Meg’s own); Mentions of criminals, thieves, & stealing; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, & pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol-like drinks & drunken behavior after having too much of it; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deceit; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of possible wars & slavery; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of someone struggling with phantom pain after losing a limb; A couple mentions of throwing up; A mention of a rumor of a man taking his life after his wife’s death;
*Note: Meg asks the Regent King if couples in his world ever split up if their marriage isn’t working and the King says that would be a failure, so Meg adds that “Marriage isn’t easy for a human either. If life’s short, you don’t want to waste it on the wrong person.”; Some prejudice from the Regents towards the Croppers (because they believe themselves to be better than them); A few mentions of Meg and Andrew calling their hikes “tree therapy”.
Sexual Content- A barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Warmth, & Nearness (including many unwanted ones, barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Meg wants to be more than just friends with Andrew because she loves him; In the other world, Meg faces many comments from others about her bearing children for the king after their marriage, including from him (which makes her think that her body won’t be her own, that humans and Regents have had children before so they “weren’t completely different” from each other, other Regents touch her abdomen and bless her, & later Meg feels like someone else is talking about her like she is an animal “meant for breeding” and only wants her for her fertility); Meg wonders if after the ceremony, will the king and her being expected to sleep in the same room (also thinking about how he wants children, but she hasn’t promised anything to him beyond the ceremony); After noticing that Meg has been unable to sleep, the king wants to use his gift to put her to rest, but Meg doesn’t want to be alone with him in her bedroom (she goes to put on her most modest nightgown and covers herself with blankets on the bed; He only touches her forehead); The king makes a comment about wanting to be alone with Meg [at night], but it doesn’t happen; The king often touches Meg and finds any reason to touch her; A female Regent shares about having the chance to have a “time” with the King (which did not result in her hopes of a child; no details besides this wording); *Major Spoilers* ; A Cropper says that her kind do not have children as fast as humans, so Meg teases and says she should get started then; Mentions of jealousy; A mention of wanting to kiss someone; A mention of an adult man probably being at his girlfriend’s place for the night;
*Note: Meg is put into dresses that she is uncomfortable in due to them hugging her curves and chest, their low necklines, showing her shoulders and thighs, & low backs (the Regent king stares at her when she wears some of these dresses & one of them is very revealing for her tastes); Meg notes her chest has always been fuller than she liked; A mention of having the usual weird dream of going to school and realizing you’re naked; A mention of most Regent men having the “secret fantasy” of having a human wife.
-Meg, age 16-17
1st person P.O.V. of Meg
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I start off a lot of my reviews of fantasy books with “it was…interesting”. Some take that to mean that I didn’t enjoy it, but I usually mean it in the way that the book was different than I expected or imagined. That’s definitely the case with this book. It was different. Interesting in some ways, but I’m also disappointed by the ending.
Going back to the beginning: I was surprisedly interested in this book shortly after starting it. I say surprisedly because while I’ve read a lot of fantasy books in recent years, portal fantasy books are always the ones my brain has a 404 error code about. They just don’t make sense to me—other earths and thin areas between them? Yeah, no, that’s super-duper fantasy talk to me. I think it would be fair to call this book high fantasy because of it? I’m not sure.
Despite my reservations about those elements, this book was written in a very simple and easy to read way. Perhaps it was because of the first-person POV, but I was able to follow along and actually read the book in less than a day in hopes of getting my reunion scene I wanted for Meg.
Which brings me back to the ending: I feel a little jipped by it. I was waiting for those scenes basically the entire book and there was barely anything? I try not to do spoilers in my final thoughts, but I’m going to have to for this book: *Major Spoilers* I was leaning to a personal rating of 3.5 stars, but with the ending, it became a 3 for me, I suppose. I was left with more questions than answers and I find myself grumbling when a book does that to me.
You could argue and say there was some very light, indirect references to God, but unless you’re looking for it, I don’t think you would pick it up. The books I’ve read by this publisher are often this way, so I was expecting to find some light hints to Christianity. I would personally call this book Clean Fiction rather than Christian Fiction. Usually, I wouldn’t review Clean Fiction books on BFCG, but because I don’t know until I start reading an Enclave book if there will be any Christian content, I often go ahead and review them on here anyway.
All of my minor dissatisfactions aside, I greatly appreciate that the main character, Meg, of this book doesn’t end up with the brooding creep. A reader can quickly tell he is manipulating her for her colors, but we’re not quite sure if he is a morally grey (no pun intended) male lead or not. I was more than ready to get rid of him, personally. I appreciate that she didn’t fall for him and it’s not a romance between them as I’ve had enough books lately where I don’t like the male lead or love interest options.
As I’ve finished this book, I’m struggling to find the point of this book. Maybe there wasn’t so much of a point rather than just an experience/escape through the fantasy elements. Because there were no Christian faith elements, though, it’s difficult for me to rate it for BFCG. I would suggest ages 15/16+, but only if the reader goes in aware that this book is on the cleaner side with no faith content.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
August 13, 2023
I loved this book wholeheartedly. It was a beautifully crafted tale of friendship, love, sacrifice, and compelling power of color and personality. It was the perfect length, too--a standalone that doesn't need any sequels. Meg was a wonderfully compelling heroine and I loved the whole cast (except the king. Blargh). 4.5 stars and I highly recommend this one.
March 21, 2025
4.5⭐️
While not epic, this was an imaginative, well-written, lovely story!💜 Nelson was able to get me invested in a romance within the very first chapter *and* without the presence of her love interest for the majority of the book. I was surprised at how committed I was to their relationship—that takes good writing! I will be reading more from this author.
While not epic, this was an imaginative, well-written, lovely story!💜 Nelson was able to get me invested in a romance within the very first chapter *and* without the presence of her love interest for the majority of the book. I was surprised at how committed I was to their relationship—that takes good writing! I will be reading more from this author.
August 30, 2023
⭐⭐⭐💫
I still don’t know what to think of this book. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I just…I don’t know. Truthfully, it wasn’t my usual fictional fare. There was loads of villainy and very little romance, and when I do endeavor to pick up a YA fantasy, there must be romance. As is typical of me, I didn’t really connect with Meg or with the writing…
But I couldn’t put it down.
I can’t really give any negative feedback beyond “this wasn’t quite my cup of tea,” so it’s no fault of the book’s that I wasn’t 100% charmed. However, I was definitely surprised by how much I was sucked into it. The first few chapters were kind of meh, and after reading some other reviews (which were positive, actually), I wasn’t certain I’d fully enjoy the rest of it anyway. But I couldn’t give up on it (not when I had a review due). I plopped down on the couch, curled my feet up beside me, and committed to reading a chapter, and another, and another, and another, until I more or less made myself stop reading.
Even though I wasn’t really feeling Meg, I didn’t dislike her. She was just a kid, and unlike most heroines I have to put up with, she wasn’t the kind that was snarky and do-bad. She was realistic (as realistic as you can be in the situation she was in 😅) and had authentic ups-and-downs. There were some elements that were kind of flip-floppy to me about her character, and I couldn’t really get a read on her personality, but I admired her determination, her strong moral compass, and her inner strength.
Proce and Von were easily two of my favorite characters, and I loved watching how their relationship with Meg grew and changed. The rest of the secondary and minor characters were very well-written and intriguing, with backstories and desires of their own.
But the character that shined the most was Kalmus, let’s face it. I knew going into the story that he couldn’t be trusted, but he was just so well-written that you couldn’t really tell what was legit or not, what his intentions were, etc. He was just an extremely good villain.Except the scene at the end was just so weird and kinda ruined the vibes.
The world of the Croppers and Regents was very well-developed, but I feel like there were some issues that could’ve been clarified. For spoilers’ sake, I won’t give details, but adultery, bigamy, and fornication were three such issues. They were never explored beyond vague mentions in the book, but they still existed, and I wanted to know what the protocol was for such in the fantasy world.
Otherwise, I loved how many details were woven in and how the cultures were explored! The plot kept me on my toes, and the twist at the end was 👌. I do feel like the ending was a little too rushed , but that can be overlooked.
There were some slight allegorical details I noted (I probably imagine them by this point 😅), and some great themes of sacrifice + how you see others + what it means to serve others that I really appreciated as well!
All in all, it wasn’t my kind of story by a long shot, but I still enjoyed it, which I think speaks for just how good of a story it is! Minus a few pet peeves, I was hooked froma little after the beginning to the end! The premise is so unique, and Nelson put a new spin on classic clichés to create a captivating and all-around well-done story!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy from Celebrate Lit Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own.
I still don’t know what to think of this book. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I just…I don’t know. Truthfully, it wasn’t my usual fictional fare. There was loads of villainy and very little romance, and when I do endeavor to pick up a YA fantasy, there must be romance. As is typical of me, I didn’t really connect with Meg or with the writing…
But I couldn’t put it down.
I can’t really give any negative feedback beyond “this wasn’t quite my cup of tea,” so it’s no fault of the book’s that I wasn’t 100% charmed. However, I was definitely surprised by how much I was sucked into it. The first few chapters were kind of meh, and after reading some other reviews (which were positive, actually), I wasn’t certain I’d fully enjoy the rest of it anyway. But I couldn’t give up on it (not when I had a review due). I plopped down on the couch, curled my feet up beside me, and committed to reading a chapter, and another, and another, and another, until I more or less made myself stop reading.
Even though I wasn’t really feeling Meg, I didn’t dislike her. She was just a kid, and unlike most heroines I have to put up with, she wasn’t the kind that was snarky and do-bad. She was realistic (as realistic as you can be in the situation she was in 😅) and had authentic ups-and-downs. There were some elements that were kind of flip-floppy to me about her character, and I couldn’t really get a read on her personality, but I admired her determination, her strong moral compass, and her inner strength.
Proce and Von were easily two of my favorite characters, and I loved watching how their relationship with Meg grew and changed. The rest of the secondary and minor characters were very well-written and intriguing, with backstories and desires of their own.
But the character that shined the most was Kalmus, let’s face it. I knew going into the story that he couldn’t be trusted, but he was just so well-written that you couldn’t really tell what was legit or not, what his intentions were, etc. He was just an extremely good villain.
The world of the Croppers and Regents was very well-developed, but I feel like there were some issues that could’ve been clarified. For spoilers’ sake, I won’t give details, but adultery, bigamy, and fornication were three such issues. They were never explored beyond vague mentions in the book, but they still existed, and I wanted to know what the protocol was for such in the fantasy world.
Otherwise, I loved how many details were woven in and how the cultures were explored! The plot kept me on my toes, and the twist at the end was 👌. I do feel like the ending was a little too rushed , but that can be overlooked.
There were some slight allegorical details I noted (I probably imagine them by this point 😅), and some great themes of sacrifice + how you see others + what it means to serve others that I really appreciated as well!
All in all, it wasn’t my kind of story by a long shot, but I still enjoyed it, which I think speaks for just how good of a story it is! Minus a few pet peeves, I was hooked from
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy from Celebrate Lit Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 5, 2024
I don't have much to say, other than I loved it and you should read it.
August 8, 2023
Sky of Seven Colors was a vibrant and intriguing read. If you liked Jame's Cameron's Avatar, any sparkling fairy tale, or any portal fantasy, this book is for you. I was continually drawn in by the storyline and binged the last 100 pages in an evening. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read more books by Rachel Nelson.
July 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
September 21, 2024
I honestly don't know how I feel about this book. Was it bad? Definitely no. Was it good? Maybe.
The world-building seemed interesting at first, but as the story progressed, it felt like the author just kept adding stuff without thinking if it made sense. In their greyscale world, there are Croppers and Regents - their names tell you exactly what they are. The Croppers take care of agriculture, they have magic connected with growing plants. The Regents rule over them and they all live in their shiny city, while all the Croppers live on farms. It seems quite rudimentary.
All of the people constantly say how these 2 people can't live without each other, but to me, it didn't seem like the Regents were that important except, of course, the current king/queen who had the power that basically held their world together. I can't really explain it because I didn't understand it myself. If you don't think about it much, it won't bother you. I wish the magic system was explained a bit better tho. It's like the beings that Meg meets conveniently have exactly the type of powers needed for her to go further in her mission.
When it comes to Meg, I rather liked her. She was down to earth, she was fairly reasonable, she fought for herself but also for the well-being of others. Her deductions were pretty smart as well.
I will admit I found the dialogue to be a bit wooden like reading a sort of script without the emotions present.
The whole vibe of the book felt off - the stiff conversations, the not-completely explained powers/world, and random characters being brought in just to progress the story a bit...In all good will, I can't give this book more than 3 stars.
The world-building seemed interesting at first, but as the story progressed, it felt like the author just kept adding stuff without thinking if it made sense. In their greyscale world, there are Croppers and Regents - their names tell you exactly what they are. The Croppers take care of agriculture, they have magic connected with growing plants. The Regents rule over them and they all live in their shiny city, while all the Croppers live on farms. It seems quite rudimentary.
All of the people constantly say how these 2 people can't live without each other, but to me, it didn't seem like the Regents were that important except, of course, the current king/queen who had the power that basically held their world together. I can't really explain it because I didn't understand it myself. If you don't think about it much, it won't bother you. I wish the magic system was explained a bit better tho. It's like the beings that Meg meets conveniently have exactly the type of powers needed for her to go further in her mission.
When it comes to Meg, I rather liked her. She was down to earth, she was fairly reasonable, she fought for herself but also for the well-being of others. Her deductions were pretty smart as well.
I will admit I found the dialogue to be a bit wooden like reading a sort of script without the emotions present.
The whole vibe of the book felt off - the stiff conversations, the not-completely explained powers/world, and random characters being brought in just to progress the story a bit...In all good will, I can't give this book more than 3 stars.
July 18, 2023
What a exciting read! So different from normal world jumping/fae-esque stories, I found myself glued to the page, wondering what would happen next to Meg, Kalamus, Proce, and Von. The twists were excellently done and I found myself not quite sure who was in the right. I can’t wait to read more book from this author in the future!
•
4.5 out of 5
•
I received a copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to make a positive review and all thoughts are my own.
•
4.5 out of 5
•
I received a copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to make a positive review and all thoughts are my own.
July 7, 2023
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. The following review is my honest opinion.
Oof, that was quite a ride!
Like I said in my updates, this is not a relaxing bedtime read, LOL! It's emotionally tense throughout and I did a few sessions of past-midnight stress-reading because I just needed to know everything would be okay. XD
As the synopsis states, Meg's best friend (he's also the boy she's in love with) got hurt and is in a coma from which he may never recover. Meg would do anything to help him, and this willingness results in her getting "called" into another world where literally everything and everyone are colorless. She's "called" by two giants (their race is called "Croppers" because they grow things and otherwise tend to the earth.) These giants believe that their king (who is of a race called the Regents, who are not giants) is grieving his deceased wife so much that he can't use his power to "bless" the hibernation (or Sleep) that the giants must take in the cold times. No blessing, no Sleep. No Sleep, Croppers die from the cold. Their sacred Writings hold a prophecy saying that a human will come to their world, and marry their king, and this will give the king his power back so he can bless the sleep of the Croppers, thus saving their lives.
Unfortunately for Meg, this means she essentially gets kidnapped into the gray world, and none of the inhabitants know of a way for her to return home. In fact, eleven other human women have come to the gray world over the centuries and they all stayed until they died of old age. At first, Meg balks at all the prophecy and marriage talk until she learns that the Regent king has healing powers that are strong enough that he could heal her comatose friend.
I typically don't skip to the end of books to find out what happens before I've finished reading, but in this case I did because I was super nervous that Meg would end up in a romantic relationship with the king. From the first moment we meet the guy it's clear that he's a creep. Self centered, manipulative, and only interested in Meg because of the way his power is enhanced by her color. He also has the ability to read minds, but Meg can feel him trying to read hers and figures out how to put up a mental barrier to block him. The atmosphere of the gray world is actually poison to human lungs, so Meg is physically dependent on the king to heal her daily so she won't die, and he uses that to manipulate her, too. I'm happy to report that she never had any romantic interest in him, and the peek I took at the ending showed me that things end well, and that knowledge allowed me to keep reading.
So, that's number one on the list of things I thought this book did well. I like that it didn't follow the trend where the YA heroine falls for the sultry, broody guy who's obviously a jerk and would probably be an abuser in real life. Truly, I can't tell you how relived I was that I never whiffed a single bit of romantic attraction between her and the king. The king was attracted to Meg's beauty and the power she could give him, but this was never romanticised or mistaken for real love. Meg saw what a creep he was and never let him that close. I got frustrated on her behalf at how the king would constantly try to force his mind through her mental barrier to pry into her thoughts. But even though it made her physically and emotionally tired to block him, she never quit, and she never becomes a victim. She fights constantly to have true freedom and is the purest display of strength and selfless love in the book. While much of her time in the gray world was a struggle for her, it grew and changed her to make her stronger of heart and mind by the end of the story. She also came to realize that there was Someone greater taking all of the bad things and working them together for her ultimate good, and the ultimate good of the gray world and the people in it. I really appreciated that this was the overall point of the book.
Another thing that I loved was the "romance" between Meg and her best friend. Her best friend is in a coma, so we don't see them fall in love in real time. They're actually already in love at the start of the book. But the author uses memories of past interactions and Meg's determined spirit to show us all the little reasons they fell in love. She also shows us that it's a true and healthy love, not one focused only on physical attraction and momentary gratification like we see in so many secular YA books. Meg's love for her friend is love as the Bible tells us it should be. She's willing to sacrifice her own comfort to save his life, and when she realizes she may never see him again, she still wants to fight for his life because she loves him so deeply that she wants him to be well for his own sake. She can tolerate living the rest of her life in the gray world as long as she knows that her friend is alive and well in the human world. The ending of their story was particularly beautiful and touching and I just loved them as a couple so much.❤️
While there are a lot of (intentionally) unlikable things and people in the gray world, some things that I did like were the Croppers, particularly Von and Proce who brought Meg to the gray world in the first place. They were simple folk who made some mistakes and were sometimes too naïve for their own good, but ultimately, they were some of Meg's best friends while she was in the gray world. Their initial focus was on Meg being able to fulfill the prophecy that would save their people's lives, but unlike the Regents, they could eventually see past that and value Meg as a unique person and a friend whom they wanted to protect.
If you didn't see my squealing reading updates, the most wholesome things in the gray world were the "besmons" aka, giant hummingbirds that you can ride like horses. THEY WERE SO CUTE! They loved Meg and were one of the few things that had no selfish intentions toward her. They were just sweet and cute and I WANNA CUDDLE ONE. Sky in particular, was the best besmon evah and deserves all the nectar she can drink.❤️
Oh, and I can't forget the big plot twist! It was a real stunner that genuinely surprised me, and I really liked it!
As for the things I didn't like, I mainly struggled with the fact that, while the aspects of the gray world were extremely creative, it isn't a world that I would ever want to go to myself. Even the adorable giant hummingbirds wouldn't be worth it. Not with an atmosphere that's poison for humans so that you end up physically dependent on someone who will more than likely use that dependency to control you. I absolutely think there's a place for portal fantasy stories that make us appreciate our own world more than we did before, and this book definitely falls into that category. However, I find that, per my personal tastes, I enjoy portal fantasy a lot more when the fantasy world is a bit more likable than the gray world was.
On a related note, I didn't like that it seemed as if ALL the Regents in the gray world were extremely selfish. There were a few that at least didn't directly manipulate Meg, but none of them cared about her as a person more than they cared about what she could do for them. Namely, they liked the way her color enhanced their powers, and the fact that humans can bear children faster than Regents, so that her marrying a Regent would help replenish their dwindling population. Even the one Regent character that was an ally for Meg turned out to be just as selfish deep down as all the others. She promised to try to help Meg get back home to the human world if possible, but it became clear that she still cared far more about Meg's color and baby-making abilities. It all begs the question of if the eleven other human women who came to the gray world over the centuries all felt trapped and miserable their whole lives, too. Not exactly a happy thought, and that question never gets answered. I also would have liked to know if those women had a purpose in the gray world like Meg did, but that was never answered either.
Overall, I'm giving this book 3.5 stars rounded to 4. There were many creative things that I loved and thought were handled really well, but an equal number of things that didn't quite click with my personal tastes. I wouldn't label anything in the book as "bad," though. And the sweet, beautiful ending was well worth the read. If this story sounds like one that you would enjoy, then I fully recommend trying it. :)
Content Advisory:
While this book is clean, certain mild themes make it more suited (and more interesting) for teens than younger readers.
Sexual:
Nothing sexual happens, but there are several instances where Meg fears that it might since she is expected (and agrees) to marry the king. All of those fears are dealt with in vague terms that would go over the heads of any younger readers that happened to pick up this book.
The king implies that, while Meg doesn't have to promise to love him, he will eventually want children because humans have children faster than Regents, which will help replenish their dwindling population. Meg does her best to avoid being alone with the king as she doesn't trust that he'll never try anything. He never does try anything sexual, however, he does use just about any excuse he can get to touch her: Namely, holding her hand constantly, putting his hand on her arm or her back, or dancing with her even though she doesn't want to, and she would overall rather he didn't touch her at all.
Once, when the king insists on using his gift to help Meg sleep, (which means he'd be coming into her bedroom), Meg puts on the most modest nightgown she can find and then barricades herself with pillows once she's under the covers. The king stands beside the bed and only touches her forehead to use his gift to help her sleep, then he leaves.
Once, the king suggestively states that he would like nothing more than to "be alone" with her, but that's the closest thing to an overt sexual statement that there ever is. He also has his servants dress Meg in gowns that could be considered immodest (backless, bare-shouldered, and sometimes with transparent skirts that show her legs up to her thighs) in order to show off her "color." She's very uncomfortable with this.
One of the servant women seems to hate Meg, and Meg finally learns that it's because the woman is in love with the king. It's implied that after his queen died, the king took advantage of this servant's attraction to him and was briefly in a sexual relationship with her. There are no inappropriate details given, and this relationship has since ended.
Throughout the story, all "romance" is limited to Meg clinging to the love she has for her best friend, Andrew, who is comatose back in the human world.
There is one brief, undescribed kiss on the last page of the book.
Magic/Spiritual:
The word "magic" never gets used, however some readers may consider the "gifts" that the Regents and Croppers have to be like magic since they are abilities that are beyond what humans can do. This includes the ability to "call" a human (and sometimes objects), from the human earth over to the gray earth, levitate objects, heal people, separate the color from an object, read minds. No spells or gestures are needed to do these things. The individual just thinks it and it happens because the ability is natural to them.
Color is valuable in the gray world because it naturally enhances the gifts of all the gray people. The reason for this is never given, it's just how the world works. A human can intentionally give up color from parts of their body (hair, eyes, etc) to enhance someone else's gift in extreme circumstances where more power is needed. For example, when a Regent needs enough strength for their power to cross from one world to another.
Meg finds that her color gives her a little power of her own. Namely to shield her own mind from the king when he tries to read it. She can also (sometimes accidentally, sometimes intentionally) "steal" someone else's power. However, it's explained that when this happens, the power "wanted" to come willingly because it's attracted to her color. In one instance, someone's gift came to Meg willingly because its owner was using it for bad purposes. This person's power was given to them to be used for good things, and it wanted to go to someone who was trying to use it for good.
There is minimal spiritual content in the book until near the end, but it is directly related to the "gifts". Meg and Proce have a discussion about the nature of the Cropper's and Regent's gifts. These powers are called "gifts" because someone greater than the Croppers and Regents gave it to them. While not stated explicitly, the strong implication is that this "someone greater" is God. He gave the Regents and Croppers their gifts so they can use the gifts for good. He also gave them free will so that they can choose what they do with their lives and their gifts. One character used his gift for harmful purposes so much that his gift willingly abandoned him because it wanted to be used for good again. Proce explains to Meg that even when people use their gifts for bad things, the giver is able to take those things and work them for the ultimate good. Meg later prays to the giver for help, believing that he sees her and cares about her life.
Violence:
Meg gets burned by accident a couple of times. Blisters are described. She also gets pricked by thorns, which causes pain and droplets of red blood.
Someone almost gets killed by a gift twice. This gift is one that looks like brilliant light and the burning pain of it flowing into the person's body gets described.
A child almost gets killed when the large animal he's riding gets out of control, however, he survives.
Meg witnesses someone get killed by accident during an "experiment" in which an individual is trying to gain more power than he already has. Something like a bolt of lightning strikes the person and sears him through the chest. The wound is mildly described, with blood, however, the people in the gray world have gray blood, not red. Meg tries to save the man and the feeling of gray blood on her hands is described.
Someone gets (non-fatally) stabbed in the chest, with gray blood spilling.
Somebody's entire leg gets ripped off by the explosion of a gift. The actual tearing of the leg is not described. The explosion happens and then the person is laying on the ground without their leg attached. Gray blood is described.
Other:
TRIGGER WARNING FOR DEATH OF A PARENT We learn early on that Meg's mother died from cancer, and Meg is still struggling with the loss at the start of the story.
The atmosphere of the gray world is poisonous to human lungs, so from the moment Meg first arrives, she has trouble breathing. These breathing difficulties are described. Once, it gets so bad that she coughs up blood. However, she gets healed and it is never allowed to get that bad again.
On a related note, sometimes the Regents (upon whom Meg is fully dependant for daily healing from the poison air) intentionally withhold healing from Meg in order to manipulate her into doing things she doesn't want to do, and to keep her from going very far away from them. Even a Regent who is kinder to her than others does this once.
It's stated that at least one human/regent couple *may* have experienced genuine love since the husband was so devastated by his human wife's death that he went off to live in the forest alone and may have killed himself. (Not described.) However, the fact that the wife had a secret tunnel in her closet that led to a secret library raises questions about why she *needed* secrets like that. As stated in my review, these questions are never answered.
Oof, that was quite a ride!
Like I said in my updates, this is not a relaxing bedtime read, LOL! It's emotionally tense throughout and I did a few sessions of past-midnight stress-reading because I just needed to know everything would be okay. XD
As the synopsis states, Meg's best friend (he's also the boy she's in love with) got hurt and is in a coma from which he may never recover. Meg would do anything to help him, and this willingness results in her getting "called" into another world where literally everything and everyone are colorless. She's "called" by two giants (their race is called "Croppers" because they grow things and otherwise tend to the earth.) These giants believe that their king (who is of a race called the Regents, who are not giants) is grieving his deceased wife so much that he can't use his power to "bless" the hibernation (or Sleep) that the giants must take in the cold times. No blessing, no Sleep. No Sleep, Croppers die from the cold. Their sacred Writings hold a prophecy saying that a human will come to their world, and marry their king, and this will give the king his power back so he can bless the sleep of the Croppers, thus saving their lives.
Unfortunately for Meg, this means she essentially gets kidnapped into the gray world, and none of the inhabitants know of a way for her to return home. In fact, eleven other human women have come to the gray world over the centuries and they all stayed until they died of old age. At first, Meg balks at all the prophecy and marriage talk until she learns that the Regent king has healing powers that are strong enough that he could heal her comatose friend.
I typically don't skip to the end of books to find out what happens before I've finished reading, but in this case I did because I was super nervous that Meg would end up in a romantic relationship with the king. From the first moment we meet the guy it's clear that he's a creep. Self centered, manipulative, and only interested in Meg because of the way his power is enhanced by her color. He also has the ability to read minds, but Meg can feel him trying to read hers and figures out how to put up a mental barrier to block him. The atmosphere of the gray world is actually poison to human lungs, so Meg is physically dependent on the king to heal her daily so she won't die, and he uses that to manipulate her, too. I'm happy to report that she never had any romantic interest in him, and the peek I took at the ending showed me that things end well, and that knowledge allowed me to keep reading.
So, that's number one on the list of things I thought this book did well. I like that it didn't follow the trend where the YA heroine falls for the sultry, broody guy who's obviously a jerk and would probably be an abuser in real life. Truly, I can't tell you how relived I was that I never whiffed a single bit of romantic attraction between her and the king. The king was attracted to Meg's beauty and the power she could give him, but this was never romanticised or mistaken for real love. Meg saw what a creep he was and never let him that close. I got frustrated on her behalf at how the king would constantly try to force his mind through her mental barrier to pry into her thoughts. But even though it made her physically and emotionally tired to block him, she never quit, and she never becomes a victim. She fights constantly to have true freedom and is the purest display of strength and selfless love in the book. While much of her time in the gray world was a struggle for her, it grew and changed her to make her stronger of heart and mind by the end of the story. She also came to realize that there was Someone greater taking all of the bad things and working them together for her ultimate good, and the ultimate good of the gray world and the people in it. I really appreciated that this was the overall point of the book.
Another thing that I loved was the "romance" between Meg and her best friend. Her best friend is in a coma, so we don't see them fall in love in real time. They're actually already in love at the start of the book. But the author uses memories of past interactions and Meg's determined spirit to show us all the little reasons they fell in love. She also shows us that it's a true and healthy love, not one focused only on physical attraction and momentary gratification like we see in so many secular YA books. Meg's love for her friend is love as the Bible tells us it should be. She's willing to sacrifice her own comfort to save his life, and when she realizes she may never see him again, she still wants to fight for his life because she loves him so deeply that she wants him to be well for his own sake. She can tolerate living the rest of her life in the gray world as long as she knows that her friend is alive and well in the human world. The ending of their story was particularly beautiful and touching and I just loved them as a couple so much.❤️
While there are a lot of (intentionally) unlikable things and people in the gray world, some things that I did like were the Croppers, particularly Von and Proce who brought Meg to the gray world in the first place. They were simple folk who made some mistakes and were sometimes too naïve for their own good, but ultimately, they were some of Meg's best friends while she was in the gray world. Their initial focus was on Meg being able to fulfill the prophecy that would save their people's lives, but unlike the Regents, they could eventually see past that and value Meg as a unique person and a friend whom they wanted to protect.
If you didn't see my squealing reading updates, the most wholesome things in the gray world were the "besmons" aka, giant hummingbirds that you can ride like horses. THEY WERE SO CUTE! They loved Meg and were one of the few things that had no selfish intentions toward her. They were just sweet and cute and I WANNA CUDDLE ONE. Sky in particular, was the best besmon evah and deserves all the nectar she can drink.❤️
Oh, and I can't forget the big plot twist! It was a real stunner that genuinely surprised me, and I really liked it!
As for the things I didn't like, I mainly struggled with the fact that, while the aspects of the gray world were extremely creative, it isn't a world that I would ever want to go to myself. Even the adorable giant hummingbirds wouldn't be worth it. Not with an atmosphere that's poison for humans so that you end up physically dependent on someone who will more than likely use that dependency to control you. I absolutely think there's a place for portal fantasy stories that make us appreciate our own world more than we did before, and this book definitely falls into that category. However, I find that, per my personal tastes, I enjoy portal fantasy a lot more when the fantasy world is a bit more likable than the gray world was.
On a related note, I didn't like that it seemed as if ALL the Regents in the gray world were extremely selfish. There were a few that at least didn't directly manipulate Meg, but none of them cared about her as a person more than they cared about what she could do for them. Namely, they liked the way her color enhanced their powers, and the fact that humans can bear children faster than Regents, so that her marrying a Regent would help replenish their dwindling population. Even the one Regent character that was an ally for Meg turned out to be just as selfish deep down as all the others. She promised to try to help Meg get back home to the human world if possible, but it became clear that she still cared far more about Meg's color and baby-making abilities. It all begs the question of if the eleven other human women who came to the gray world over the centuries all felt trapped and miserable their whole lives, too. Not exactly a happy thought, and that question never gets answered. I also would have liked to know if those women had a purpose in the gray world like Meg did, but that was never answered either.
Overall, I'm giving this book 3.5 stars rounded to 4. There were many creative things that I loved and thought were handled really well, but an equal number of things that didn't quite click with my personal tastes. I wouldn't label anything in the book as "bad," though. And the sweet, beautiful ending was well worth the read. If this story sounds like one that you would enjoy, then I fully recommend trying it. :)
Content Advisory:
While this book is clean, certain mild themes make it more suited (and more interesting) for teens than younger readers.
Sexual:
Nothing sexual happens, but there are several instances where Meg fears that it might since she is expected (and agrees) to marry the king. All of those fears are dealt with in vague terms that would go over the heads of any younger readers that happened to pick up this book.
The king implies that, while Meg doesn't have to promise to love him, he will eventually want children because humans have children faster than Regents, which will help replenish their dwindling population. Meg does her best to avoid being alone with the king as she doesn't trust that he'll never try anything. He never does try anything sexual, however, he does use just about any excuse he can get to touch her: Namely, holding her hand constantly, putting his hand on her arm or her back, or dancing with her even though she doesn't want to, and she would overall rather he didn't touch her at all.
Once, when the king insists on using his gift to help Meg sleep, (which means he'd be coming into her bedroom), Meg puts on the most modest nightgown she can find and then barricades herself with pillows once she's under the covers. The king stands beside the bed and only touches her forehead to use his gift to help her sleep, then he leaves.
Once, the king suggestively states that he would like nothing more than to "be alone" with her, but that's the closest thing to an overt sexual statement that there ever is. He also has his servants dress Meg in gowns that could be considered immodest (backless, bare-shouldered, and sometimes with transparent skirts that show her legs up to her thighs) in order to show off her "color." She's very uncomfortable with this.
One of the servant women seems to hate Meg, and Meg finally learns that it's because the woman is in love with the king. It's implied that after his queen died, the king took advantage of this servant's attraction to him and was briefly in a sexual relationship with her. There are no inappropriate details given, and this relationship has since ended.
Throughout the story, all "romance" is limited to Meg clinging to the love she has for her best friend, Andrew, who is comatose back in the human world.
There is one brief, undescribed kiss on the last page of the book.
Magic/Spiritual:
The word "magic" never gets used, however some readers may consider the "gifts" that the Regents and Croppers have to be like magic since they are abilities that are beyond what humans can do. This includes the ability to "call" a human (and sometimes objects), from the human earth over to the gray earth, levitate objects, heal people, separate the color from an object, read minds. No spells or gestures are needed to do these things. The individual just thinks it and it happens because the ability is natural to them.
Color is valuable in the gray world because it naturally enhances the gifts of all the gray people. The reason for this is never given, it's just how the world works. A human can intentionally give up color from parts of their body (hair, eyes, etc) to enhance someone else's gift in extreme circumstances where more power is needed. For example, when a Regent needs enough strength for their power to cross from one world to another.
Meg finds that her color gives her a little power of her own. Namely to shield her own mind from the king when he tries to read it. She can also (sometimes accidentally, sometimes intentionally) "steal" someone else's power. However, it's explained that when this happens, the power "wanted" to come willingly because it's attracted to her color. In one instance, someone's gift came to Meg willingly because its owner was using it for bad purposes. This person's power was given to them to be used for good things, and it wanted to go to someone who was trying to use it for good.
There is minimal spiritual content in the book until near the end, but it is directly related to the "gifts". Meg and Proce have a discussion about the nature of the Cropper's and Regent's gifts. These powers are called "gifts" because someone greater than the Croppers and Regents gave it to them. While not stated explicitly, the strong implication is that this "someone greater" is God. He gave the Regents and Croppers their gifts so they can use the gifts for good. He also gave them free will so that they can choose what they do with their lives and their gifts. One character used his gift for harmful purposes so much that his gift willingly abandoned him because it wanted to be used for good again. Proce explains to Meg that even when people use their gifts for bad things, the giver is able to take those things and work them for the ultimate good. Meg later prays to the giver for help, believing that he sees her and cares about her life.
Violence:
Meg gets burned by accident a couple of times. Blisters are described. She also gets pricked by thorns, which causes pain and droplets of red blood.
Someone almost gets killed by a gift twice. This gift is one that looks like brilliant light and the burning pain of it flowing into the person's body gets described.
A child almost gets killed when the large animal he's riding gets out of control, however, he survives.
Meg witnesses someone get killed by accident during an "experiment" in which an individual is trying to gain more power than he already has. Something like a bolt of lightning strikes the person and sears him through the chest. The wound is mildly described, with blood, however, the people in the gray world have gray blood, not red. Meg tries to save the man and the feeling of gray blood on her hands is described.
Someone gets (non-fatally) stabbed in the chest, with gray blood spilling.
Somebody's entire leg gets ripped off by the explosion of a gift. The actual tearing of the leg is not described. The explosion happens and then the person is laying on the ground without their leg attached. Gray blood is described.
Other:
TRIGGER WARNING FOR DEATH OF A PARENT We learn early on that Meg's mother died from cancer, and Meg is still struggling with the loss at the start of the story.
The atmosphere of the gray world is poisonous to human lungs, so from the moment Meg first arrives, she has trouble breathing. These breathing difficulties are described. Once, it gets so bad that she coughs up blood. However, she gets healed and it is never allowed to get that bad again.
On a related note, sometimes the Regents (upon whom Meg is fully dependant for daily healing from the poison air) intentionally withhold healing from Meg in order to manipulate her into doing things she doesn't want to do, and to keep her from going very far away from them. Even a Regent who is kinder to her than others does this once.
It's stated that at least one human/regent couple *may* have experienced genuine love since the husband was so devastated by his human wife's death that he went off to live in the forest alone and may have killed himself. (Not described.) However, the fact that the wife had a secret tunnel in her closet that led to a secret library raises questions about why she *needed* secrets like that. As stated in my review, these questions are never answered.
September 10, 2024
《 four and a half stars 》
⭒˚.⋆ ❝I need to believe that broken things can be turned into something new. broken friendships, and broken bodies. never the same, but mended.❞ ⋆.˚⭒
Sky of Seven Colors is a sparkling sort of fairytale, complete with giant "grey people," portals, and magic. There's love, friendship, sacrifice, struggle, and healing. There's vibrant side characters who have my heart. And there's an odd sense of nostalgia and longing, of an alluring and fantastical tale that's still so raw and real. It's beautiful, and it reminds me of the secret little stories my siblings, friends, and I would swap when we were younger. Only this is deeper, and more mature. It reminds me of the kind of story I want to write. And I don't say that about many books, so that's how I know this one is special. 💕
⭒˚.⋆ ❝I need to believe that broken things can be turned into something new. broken friendships, and broken bodies. never the same, but mended.❞ ⋆.˚⭒
Sky of Seven Colors is a sparkling sort of fairytale, complete with giant "grey people," portals, and magic. There's love, friendship, sacrifice, struggle, and healing. There's vibrant side characters who have my heart. And there's an odd sense of nostalgia and longing, of an alluring and fantastical tale that's still so raw and real. It's beautiful, and it reminds me of the secret little stories my siblings, friends, and I would swap when we were younger. Only this is deeper, and more mature. It reminds me of the kind of story I want to write. And I don't say that about many books, so that's how I know this one is special. 💕
July 4, 2023
What a whimsical, twisty story! This story feels simple on the outside, but once you get up close, the layers of motive and the dance of the political bargains is so intricate. It was a quick and easy ready and I felt nostalgic over this book for the kinds of stories I read in my mid-early teens. I loved the unique fantasy races and culture and magic! Definitely worth a read.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review.
March 30, 2024
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
Overview: A most unusual story… I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it definitely wasn’t what I got. This is a portal fantasy telling of a world so different from ours and yet so real, weaving a thread of hope into the dark tapestry of despair. It’s strange, yet somehow familiar.
In other words, I quite liked it.
Characters: Meg is a great protagonist, literally dragged into an adventure that she wants no part of. She handles everything with maturity (so much so that it’s hard to remember she’s only seventeen), but she’s far from perfect, having plenty of room to grow throughout the story. I think we would be friends.
The king is… creepy? That’s not the right word, but it’s the best one I can come up with. I can’t say much else because of spoilers, but suffice it to say that we would most definitely not be friends.
Proce and Von, on the other hand, are fantastic. Their culture is so different from that of humans, and it was fun to see them interacting with Meg and with each other.
Content: The premise of the story is that Meg is taken to the grey earth so she can marry the king—something she definitely does not want to do. That might be disturbing for some readers, so just be warned.
There’s one small, undetailed kiss.
There’s some violence, with one character getting magically killed and another being stabbed. Blood is mentioned, but nothing’s graphic.
Writing: It was so refreshing to read a mainstream YA book not written in first person present! We still have a first-person narrator, but it’s in past tense, and that made me ridiculously happy.
That and other things give Nelson’s style a bit of an older feel. It reminded me of books I read when I was first getting into YA fantasy. I kept getting A Princess of Mars vibes from the book. The story is well-written and definitely engaging; I never wanted to put it down!
Summary: This is not your typical fantasy novel. It’s a unique take on a tale of a captured princess, sprinkled with Christian themes and concluding with a satisfying ending. I would recommend this to fantasy fans aged 15+.
Overview: A most unusual story… I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it definitely wasn’t what I got. This is a portal fantasy telling of a world so different from ours and yet so real, weaving a thread of hope into the dark tapestry of despair. It’s strange, yet somehow familiar.
In other words, I quite liked it.
Characters: Meg is a great protagonist, literally dragged into an adventure that she wants no part of. She handles everything with maturity (so much so that it’s hard to remember she’s only seventeen), but she’s far from perfect, having plenty of room to grow throughout the story. I think we would be friends.
The king is… creepy? That’s not the right word, but it’s the best one I can come up with. I can’t say much else because of spoilers, but suffice it to say that we would most definitely not be friends.
Proce and Von, on the other hand, are fantastic. Their culture is so different from that of humans, and it was fun to see them interacting with Meg and with each other.
Content: The premise of the story is that Meg is taken to the grey earth so she can marry the king—something she definitely does not want to do. That might be disturbing for some readers, so just be warned.
There’s one small, undetailed kiss.
There’s some violence, with one character getting magically killed and another being stabbed. Blood is mentioned, but nothing’s graphic.
Writing: It was so refreshing to read a mainstream YA book not written in first person present! We still have a first-person narrator, but it’s in past tense, and that made me ridiculously happy.
That and other things give Nelson’s style a bit of an older feel. It reminded me of books I read when I was first getting into YA fantasy. I kept getting A Princess of Mars vibes from the book. The story is well-written and definitely engaging; I never wanted to put it down!
Summary: This is not your typical fantasy novel. It’s a unique take on a tale of a captured princess, sprinkled with Christian themes and concluding with a satisfying ending. I would recommend this to fantasy fans aged 15+.
May 25, 2023
4 stars! There’s something so wholesome about this magical world. The creatures are reminiscent of those in middle grade fantasy that I read when I was younger—somehow The Phantom Tollbooth and The BFG and Narnia were all called to mind.
I really grew to love Meg and a couple certain giants. :) And following Meg on this journey was both heartbreaking and enthralling. The beginning started out with one tragedy after another, but the story really unfolds throughout the awful events. And there’s so much redemption to be had.
You’ll root for this MC with every fiber of your being!
I really grew to love Meg and a couple certain giants. :) And following Meg on this journey was both heartbreaking and enthralling. The beginning started out with one tragedy after another, but the story really unfolds throughout the awful events. And there’s so much redemption to be had.
You’ll root for this MC with every fiber of your being!
May 30, 2024
I adored this book. The fantasy world was full of a gentle charm that reminded me of the fantasy I enjoyed as a child, such as Gail Carson Levine and George MacDonald. The characters were familiar fantasy archetypes, but with complexity and nuance that made this book such a thoughtful read. Meg's love story was sweet and powerful, and I especially enjoyed the epilogue at the end!
April 10, 2024
《On my seventeenth birthday, I hiked into a forest and disappeared. It was Andrew's idea. The forest, not the disappearance.》
♡meg: i will love you in any world
♡andrew: the one worth coming home to
Absolutely stunning. Sky of Seven Colors is magical and beautiful and tragic. Color and loss and finding home all feature in this YA portal fantasy. I really loved the world building, and the story was solidly written. I definitely hope to read more from Rachelle Nelson!
Content:
Mild romance
Magically induced violence
A man hurts a teen girl (using magic)
A stabbing
Mention of affairs and an intimate relationship between an unmarried couple.
*Note: in this book, magic is called gifts and doesn't use spells and such
Ages 14+
♡meg: i will love you in any world
♡andrew: the one worth coming home to
Absolutely stunning. Sky of Seven Colors is magical and beautiful and tragic. Color and loss and finding home all feature in this YA portal fantasy. I really loved the world building, and the story was solidly written. I definitely hope to read more from Rachelle Nelson!
Content:
Mild romance
Magically induced violence
A man hurts a teen girl (using magic)
A stabbing
Mention of affairs and an intimate relationship between an unmarried couple.
*Note: in this book, magic is called gifts and doesn't use spells and such
Ages 14+
May 31, 2023
3.75/5
I really enjoyed the latter 25% but getting there took me a little effort and I don't know if it's because it felt a little younger. Definitely had Wrinkle In Time and The BFG vibes.
I really enjoyed the latter 25% but getting there took me a little effort and I don't know if it's because it felt a little younger. Definitely had Wrinkle In Time and The BFG vibes.
Want to read
September 7, 20251st person
This is a note for my future self….
This is a note for my future self….
February 7, 2024
To preface, this book is enjoyable. Don't let this review turn you away from reading it necessarily, because it is an interesting book and has many strengths.
Strengths: Suspenseful, definitely something that can keep you reading. The worldbuilding was very interesting, and I liked the details about language. Also, from the beginning we are invested in the relationship of the main character with the young man who loves her. I wished he had been in the story more somehow. I wished I could have seen more of their relationship because it was the very thing that was keeping me reading. I did love the last three or four pages of the book too. And the worldbuilding details about the colors and lack of in the new world were very interesting. The writing was pretty tight mostly.
The poems were pretty.
Things I didn't like:
The big thing I didn't like about this book was that I felt the main character got over the fact of her kidnapping way too quickly to the point where she's friends with the people who took her from her own world to save their own. But it happens Very quickly that she becomes friends with them and made me feel like she was being mind-controlled or something, and her emotions were manipulated toward the beginning too. They are able to calm her down and make her go to sleep by singing to her. It felt creepy.
An actual sentence toward the end of the book:
"I lay beside my giant, happy to be her prisoner."
Here it's more a metaphor than literal, but it just felt weird since she really /is/ their prisoner as long as she is in that world against her will.
Even towards the end, she seems to be on unnaturally good terms with these people. I mean, I understand becoming friends with people after a while and being able to end things on good terms, but I felt like there was no acknowledgement on their side that they had done anything wrong. Nothing is said about the selfishness of these people for taking her. They didn't have the right to do so, no matter if they believed they needed a human to save them or not. I did not care if this world died because of her saying no, which they didn't even really let her say no to coming along even though it was her "choice" non choice since she didn't even really have a choice. I didn't care if this world died because they would only kidnap more humans down the line to keep saving their world.
Yes, toward the end of the book there's a cool exchange on mutual forgiveness where a giant asks her forgiveness for taking her from her world, but it doesn't feel like a real apology or acknowledgement that they did anything wrong.
The whole tone just made me feel uncomfortable and left a bad taste in my mouth.
The twists made things confusing and frustrating too--did they or did they not need a human in actuality? Could someone else have just found the queen and rescued her and they could have found a loop-hole in the prophecies?
They refer to a fantastical god figure in this book vaguely as well, but it doesn't feel like a positive portrayal which also made everything seem strange. A god who allowed prophecies to be written that hint at and encourage giants to kidnap humans in order to save their own race doesn't seem like a good thing to me. It really works better if I try not to look at the story/storyworld allegorically, and perhaps that is the point too. Except this is marketed as Christian fantasy.
I feel like this book could have passed for general fantasy. But then I feel like secular readers would have seen the same issue with the story as me: "These giants are not the good guys. Why are they her friends?"
The last thing was that it was difficult to discern at first what the book's message was. I did like that she was able to hold her ground when she needed to so that she didn't lose herself in this world. Maybe that's the message. Don't lose yourself in a foreign world no matter what gets stripped away. So that's the redeeming part of the book for me, along with an exchange about mutual forgiveness and a few lines of wisdom. And the main relationship really felt genuine and sweet even though it only gets low page-time (screen-time but page-time).
Strengths: Suspenseful, definitely something that can keep you reading. The worldbuilding was very interesting, and I liked the details about language. Also, from the beginning we are invested in the relationship of the main character with the young man who loves her. I wished he had been in the story more somehow. I wished I could have seen more of their relationship because it was the very thing that was keeping me reading. I did love the last three or four pages of the book too. And the worldbuilding details about the colors and lack of in the new world were very interesting. The writing was pretty tight mostly.
The poems were pretty.
Things I didn't like:
The big thing I didn't like about this book was that I felt the main character got over the fact of her kidnapping way too quickly to the point where she's friends with the people who took her from her own world to save their own. But it happens Very quickly that she becomes friends with them and made me feel like she was being mind-controlled or something, and her emotions were manipulated toward the beginning too. They are able to calm her down and make her go to sleep by singing to her. It felt creepy.
An actual sentence toward the end of the book:
"I lay beside my giant, happy to be her prisoner."
Here it's more a metaphor than literal, but it just felt weird since she really /is/ their prisoner as long as she is in that world against her will.
Even towards the end, she seems to be on unnaturally good terms with these people. I mean, I understand becoming friends with people after a while and being able to end things on good terms, but I felt like there was no acknowledgement on their side that they had done anything wrong. Nothing is said about the selfishness of these people for taking her. They didn't have the right to do so, no matter if they believed they needed a human to save them or not. I did not care if this world died because of her saying no, which they didn't even really let her say no to coming along even though it was her "choice" non choice since she didn't even really have a choice. I didn't care if this world died because they would only kidnap more humans down the line to keep saving their world.
Yes, toward the end of the book there's a cool exchange on mutual forgiveness where a giant asks her forgiveness for taking her from her world, but it doesn't feel like a real apology or acknowledgement that they did anything wrong.
The whole tone just made me feel uncomfortable and left a bad taste in my mouth.
The twists made things confusing and frustrating too--did they or did they not need a human in actuality? Could someone else have just found the queen and rescued her and they could have found a loop-hole in the prophecies?
They refer to a fantastical god figure in this book vaguely as well, but it doesn't feel like a positive portrayal which also made everything seem strange. A god who allowed prophecies to be written that hint at and encourage giants to kidnap humans in order to save their own race doesn't seem like a good thing to me. It really works better if I try not to look at the story/storyworld allegorically, and perhaps that is the point too. Except this is marketed as Christian fantasy.
I feel like this book could have passed for general fantasy. But then I feel like secular readers would have seen the same issue with the story as me: "These giants are not the good guys. Why are they her friends?"
The last thing was that it was difficult to discern at first what the book's message was. I did like that she was able to hold her ground when she needed to so that she didn't lose herself in this world. Maybe that's the message. Don't lose yourself in a foreign world no matter what gets stripped away. So that's the redeeming part of the book for me, along with an exchange about mutual forgiveness and a few lines of wisdom. And the main relationship really felt genuine and sweet even though it only gets low page-time (screen-time but page-time).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2024
I enjoyed this YA Fantasy! With unique world-building and characters, the story drew me in and kept me interested. It was a good vacation read, and I’m looking forward to more from this author.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
A clean read with some more mature themes, I’d recommend this for older teens on up.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
A clean read with some more mature themes, I’d recommend this for older teens on up.
October 28, 2024
What a beautiful story of perseverance, overcoming fear, and unlikely friendship.
I listened to the audiobook.
I listened to the audiobook.
August 23, 2024
LOVED this book. I hope you write more!!! The style and the fact that it was CLEAN fantasy was awesome. Reminded me of Keeper of the Lost Cities, only I enjoyed this more.
January 13, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This was an impressive debut novel! The worldbuilding was awesome--such an interesting concept of a parallel Earth to ours but without color.
This new setting was kind of reminiscent of Narnia with the discovery of how things are different and what creatures live in this new world. Also the trope of the MC being the only human in the whole world was fascinating to read about--Meg was the first human in several hundred years so the inhabitants of this world didn't know much about humankind and were captivated by her color. There is color magic in this novel, which can be a confusing topic for some readers--in this novel, it was fairly easy to understand but there were some ambiguity on how it worked but that made complete since for the story. The croppers and the regents were described interestingly and had a well developed backstory. It was a bit difficult to picture the grey world but I enjoyed the stretch of my imagination.
I loved Pross and Von's characters-- they kind of reminded me of treebeard from LOTR: very calm, simple, and loyal. I didn't fully connect to Meg and Andrew so I would've liked a bit more depth for them. And the pacing of the story was a bit slow towards the middle . However I really do appreciate that this is truly a standalone book!
Also, and this is definitely a me problem, i was expecting a romance with the grey world king because i love the trope of a girl being transported to a new place to fall in love there-- but again, that's on me! Although it guides Megs actions, the actual romance is a small portion of the overall book.
This story also shows sacrificial love with everything that Meg goes through, that was beautiful to see!
Content: "gifts"/color magic, mild violence towards the climax
Christian fiction rating: 0/3 not Christian but clean
This was an impressive debut novel! The worldbuilding was awesome--such an interesting concept of a parallel Earth to ours but without color.
This new setting was kind of reminiscent of Narnia with the discovery of how things are different and what creatures live in this new world. Also the trope of the MC being the only human in the whole world was fascinating to read about--Meg was the first human in several hundred years so the inhabitants of this world didn't know much about humankind and were captivated by her color. There is color magic in this novel, which can be a confusing topic for some readers--in this novel, it was fairly easy to understand but there were some ambiguity on how it worked but that made complete since for the story. The croppers and the regents were described interestingly and had a well developed backstory. It was a bit difficult to picture the grey world but I enjoyed the stretch of my imagination.
I loved Pross and Von's characters-- they kind of reminded me of treebeard from LOTR: very calm, simple, and loyal. I didn't fully connect to Meg and Andrew so I would've liked a bit more depth for them. And the pacing of the story was a bit slow towards the middle . However I really do appreciate that this is truly a standalone book!
Also, and this is definitely a me problem, i was expecting a romance with the grey world king because i love the trope of a girl being transported to a new place to fall in love there-- but again, that's on me! Although it guides Megs actions, the actual romance is a small portion of the overall book.
This story also shows sacrificial love with everything that Meg goes through, that was beautiful to see!
Content: "gifts"/color magic, mild violence towards the climax
Christian fiction rating: 0/3 not Christian but clean
August 17, 2023
I found much of this book interesting. From the intriguing world the author created and its creatures, to the plotline…it is clear that the author has a very vivid imagination and it was fun to be able to be a part of it for a little while.
I really loved learning about the world the author built in Sky of Seven Colors. From the people to their history to the Writings…it was all very fascinating. And I can’t even begin to imagine a world without color, so it’s easy to see why Meg would be seen as valuable. Not to mention she theoretically is the one who will fulfill the prophecy to save one of the people groups in said world.
Besides that, however, everything else seemed to fall flat for me. First and foremost, while I liked Meg, I also felt that she had little depth to her character. We learn a little bit about her past, and her motivations inside of this other world, but outside of that, there’s not much to her character. And then the story slowed down so much in the middle, only to have somewhat of a predictable ending.
This story had so much potential, but it just didn’t go as far as it could have, at least for me. The author is a talented writer and I do hope to see more from her. And if you are one who likes fantasy and especially exploring different worlds, I would recommend this book to you.
I had received a copy of the book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.
I really loved learning about the world the author built in Sky of Seven Colors. From the people to their history to the Writings…it was all very fascinating. And I can’t even begin to imagine a world without color, so it’s easy to see why Meg would be seen as valuable. Not to mention she theoretically is the one who will fulfill the prophecy to save one of the people groups in said world.
Besides that, however, everything else seemed to fall flat for me. First and foremost, while I liked Meg, I also felt that she had little depth to her character. We learn a little bit about her past, and her motivations inside of this other world, but outside of that, there’s not much to her character. And then the story slowed down so much in the middle, only to have somewhat of a predictable ending.
This story had so much potential, but it just didn’t go as far as it could have, at least for me. The author is a talented writer and I do hope to see more from her. And if you are one who likes fantasy and especially exploring different worlds, I would recommend this book to you.
I had received a copy of the book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.
Read
October 19, 2025This is a character driven plot in which a girl is taken into an alternate world where color can enhance power because two beings believe she is the one in a prophecy to save their people.
There is a level of intrigue with not everyone being what they present themselves to be, and there are some good messages about things of beauty being born from broken things and that many things in our lives are beyond understanding. There is also a thread that everything happens for a reason, which I have my own opinions about. Additionally, the concept that sometimes good people do bad things because of desperation or because they have believed a large lie is seen. A lot of the themes are all strung close together in a conspicuous and direct manner near the end. As it’s a YA novel, I personally don’t mind the more obvious takeaway messages but, as it was something that stood out, I figured I would mention it.
It’s a unique and intriguing concept and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. Overall, readers who enjoy character driven portal fantasy with bargaining, lies and betrayal but also consequences and redemption, give Sky of Seven Colors a try!
There is a level of intrigue with not everyone being what they present themselves to be, and there are some good messages about things of beauty being born from broken things and that many things in our lives are beyond understanding. There is also a thread that everything happens for a reason, which I have my own opinions about. Additionally, the concept that sometimes good people do bad things because of desperation or because they have believed a large lie is seen. A lot of the themes are all strung close together in a conspicuous and direct manner near the end. As it’s a YA novel, I personally don’t mind the more obvious takeaway messages but, as it was something that stood out, I figured I would mention it.
It’s a unique and intriguing concept and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. Overall, readers who enjoy character driven portal fantasy with bargaining, lies and betrayal but also consequences and redemption, give Sky of Seven Colors a try!
August 8, 2023
I really wanted to like this book, and because it’s a three star review, please notice that I didn’t dislike it either. It was just sort of neutral for me.
The pacing felt off to me. In the first one or two chapters, there’s a tragic event that sends Meg to the gray kingdom. I wish that there was more time spent on this. Throughout the rest of the story, I could understand Meg’s motivations based on this event, but because it felt rushed, I didn’t really have the emotional connection I needed to root for her. There were other areas that were slow to me.
I do think that Nelson did a good job with worldbuilding. I was able to imagine the scenery well and I was impressed by her continual rhyming prophecies. I do think that this would make for a very interesting movie concept.
Ps – this book was gifted to me by the author and the publisher, but this review is entirely honest and my own opinion.
The pacing felt off to me. In the first one or two chapters, there’s a tragic event that sends Meg to the gray kingdom. I wish that there was more time spent on this. Throughout the rest of the story, I could understand Meg’s motivations based on this event, but because it felt rushed, I didn’t really have the emotional connection I needed to root for her. There were other areas that were slow to me.
I do think that Nelson did a good job with worldbuilding. I was able to imagine the scenery well and I was impressed by her continual rhyming prophecies. I do think that this would make for a very interesting movie concept.
Ps – this book was gifted to me by the author and the publisher, but this review is entirely honest and my own opinion.
December 5, 2025
The concept of this story is what grabbed my attention at first! Then, pages into the story, I found myself unexpectedly confronted with an epic portal fantasy tale of heartbroken dreams and colorless worlds. While it didn’t end as satisfying as I had hoped, it still was a neat story with surprising twists and heart wrenching turns.
Content Warnings: sexual tension, sexual allusions, hints of sexual interest, no foul language, no violence
Full review to come.
https://theradicalreader.com
Content Warnings: sexual tension, sexual allusions, hints of sexual interest, no foul language, no violence
Full review to come.
https://theradicalreader.com
July 2, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a strange combination of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and some other things that feel familiar but you can't quite put your finger on. It's a love story, but not the one you're thinking it'll be.
If you love journeys to strange places, odd creatures and a happy resolution you'll love it.
This book would make an amazing movie.
If you love journeys to strange places, odd creatures and a happy resolution you'll love it.
This book would make an amazing movie.
October 11, 2025
✨ Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson ✨
Summary:
When love and destiny collide across two worlds, Meg must face impossible choices to save the one she loves. Torn between her heart and a realm ruled by magic and danger, her courage and devotion are tested in ways she never imagined. Sky of Seven Colors is a breathtaking fantasy about love, sacrifice, and the strength it takes to find your light—even in the darkest places.
My Review:
After finishing Embergold and totally falling in love with it, I knew I had to read Sky of Seven Colors next. And wow, Rachelle Nelson has officially stolen my heart with her books. The way she writes, the worlds she builds, and the emotions she pulls out of you… I’m obsessed. I’m honestly so sad she only has two releases right now because I don’t know what to do with myself after finishing these gorgeous stories.
Okay, enough gushing (for now 😅). Let’s talk about this book. Sky of Seven Colors is such a beautiful fantasy. I absolutely loved Meg and Andrew and the sweet, steady bond they shared. Meg’s devotion to Andrew hit me right in the heart—it just radiated true love.
I’ll admit, I was a little frustrated at first when the story pulled Meg away from Andrew during his time of need, but as things unfolded, I completely understood why it had to happen. Her journey to save him became something much bigger—an adventure that tested her strength, faith, and heart in the most powerful ways. I especially loved seeing how she navigated the king’s world. The way Nelson brought that realm to life—with its danger, magic, and mystery—was captivating. Watching Meg grow braver with each challenge and hold on to love through it all was so inspiring.
Both worlds Nelson creates are breathtaking and full of life. Each one feels real, emotional, and easy to get lost in. The balance of beauty and pain, love and sacrifice, is written so perfectly.
By the time I turned the last page, I just sat there for a moment taking it all in. This story is pure magic, full of heart, and one I know will stay with me for a long time.
Favorite Quotes:
“The giver of gifts was alive long before we were born, and he will remain when we are gone. He does not owe us anything. But still, good came from the wrong choices Kalmus made. Who knows what good may come from our other losses?”
“But now…I’m not scared anymore. In the end, I faced the worst and kept breathing. I didn’t know I could do that.”
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
QOTD:
How far would you go to save your true love? 🫶
I was brought to tears as I remembered when my Love ended up in ICU after a stroke-like episode that almost took his life. Those days were long and hard, but I’d go back and do it all again in a heartbeat. He’s worth it all. 🫶 This book is also a sweet reminder of the biggest sacrifice of all—our Savior gave His life for a sinner like me…for me, for you, and for all who call upon His Name. 🤍 “The day is a gift.” 🫶
Summary:
When love and destiny collide across two worlds, Meg must face impossible choices to save the one she loves. Torn between her heart and a realm ruled by magic and danger, her courage and devotion are tested in ways she never imagined. Sky of Seven Colors is a breathtaking fantasy about love, sacrifice, and the strength it takes to find your light—even in the darkest places.
My Review:
After finishing Embergold and totally falling in love with it, I knew I had to read Sky of Seven Colors next. And wow, Rachelle Nelson has officially stolen my heart with her books. The way she writes, the worlds she builds, and the emotions she pulls out of you… I’m obsessed. I’m honestly so sad she only has two releases right now because I don’t know what to do with myself after finishing these gorgeous stories.
Okay, enough gushing (for now 😅). Let’s talk about this book. Sky of Seven Colors is such a beautiful fantasy. I absolutely loved Meg and Andrew and the sweet, steady bond they shared. Meg’s devotion to Andrew hit me right in the heart—it just radiated true love.
I’ll admit, I was a little frustrated at first when the story pulled Meg away from Andrew during his time of need, but as things unfolded, I completely understood why it had to happen. Her journey to save him became something much bigger—an adventure that tested her strength, faith, and heart in the most powerful ways. I especially loved seeing how she navigated the king’s world. The way Nelson brought that realm to life—with its danger, magic, and mystery—was captivating. Watching Meg grow braver with each challenge and hold on to love through it all was so inspiring.
Both worlds Nelson creates are breathtaking and full of life. Each one feels real, emotional, and easy to get lost in. The balance of beauty and pain, love and sacrifice, is written so perfectly.
By the time I turned the last page, I just sat there for a moment taking it all in. This story is pure magic, full of heart, and one I know will stay with me for a long time.
Favorite Quotes:
“The giver of gifts was alive long before we were born, and he will remain when we are gone. He does not owe us anything. But still, good came from the wrong choices Kalmus made. Who knows what good may come from our other losses?”
“But now…I’m not scared anymore. In the end, I faced the worst and kept breathing. I didn’t know I could do that.”
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
QOTD:
How far would you go to save your true love? 🫶
I was brought to tears as I remembered when my Love ended up in ICU after a stroke-like episode that almost took his life. Those days were long and hard, but I’d go back and do it all again in a heartbeat. He’s worth it all. 🫶 This book is also a sweet reminder of the biggest sacrifice of all—our Savior gave His life for a sinner like me…for me, for you, and for all who call upon His Name. 🤍 “The day is a gift.” 🫶
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