The Color of Lies
Written by CJ Lyons
Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith
4/5
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About this audiobook
A gripping young adult suspense novel drenched in color, mystery, and lies. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CJ Lyons grabs you and won’t let go, keeping you guessing until the very last page of The Color of Lies.
When you can see emotions in color, motives become black and white. Even murder.
Ella Cleary has always had an eye for the truth. She has synesthesia, which means she is able to read people via the waves of colors that surround them. Her unique gift has led her to trust very few people outside her family since her parents died in a fire. So when a handsome young journalist appears with no colors surrounding him at all, her senses go on high alert.
But while Alec is a mystery, Ella feels a connection to him she can’t ignore. Something about him feels familiar, and she is able to talk with him in ways she can’t with anyone else. Then just as feelings develop between them, Alec drops a bombshell: he believes her parents’ deaths were no accident. And she may be in more danger than she’s ever realized.
Soon Ella doesn’t know who she can trust or even who she really is. As family secrets begin to unravel and fact and fiction collide, it becomes clear that the only way for Ella to learn the truth about her past is to find a killer.
The Color of Lies:
- YA suspense with themes of mystery, romance, and friendship
- By New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller writer CJ Lyons, whose adult suspense novels have sold over 2 million copies in print and digital
- Features a protagonist with synesthesia, which can allow people to see sounds, taste words, or feel sensations on their skin associated with certain scents
- Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Karen M. McManus, and Jennifer Brown
CJ Lyons
Pediatric ER doctor turned New York Times bestselling thriller writer CJ Lyons has been a storyteller all her life—something that landed her in many time-outs as a kid. She writes her Thrillers with Heart for the same reason that she became a doctor: because she believes we each have the power to change our world. In the ER she witnessed many acts of courage by her patients and their families, learning that heroes truly are born every day. When not writing, she can be found walking the beaches near her Lowcountry home, listening to the voices in her head and plotting new and devious ways to create mayhem for her characters. To learn more about her Thrillers with Heart go to www.CJLyons.net
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Reviews for The Color of Lies
23 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow!! This was a unique and truly captivating book! I didn’t see the twist coming until it happened and Ella’s story will stay with me throughout the years! An excellent journey that I’m sure you will love just like I did!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5"The Color of Lies" was an entertaining YA murder mystery. I liked how the author used synesthesia to shape how the main protagonist, Ella, viewed the world. It gave an interesting perspective to the novel. The mystery was good, although I did partially solve it before the end, but it still provided enough suspense to keep me reading.The story was narrated by both Ella and Alec, although Ella did have the largest proportion, and even though a romance does develop between them, it isn't the highlight of the book which meant it didn't detract from the main plot, which was a nice change. Too often YA books start well but lose their appeal as they begin to focus on the romance.I liked both Ella and Alec as protagonists, but I also adored Rory and Max, Ella's two best friends. The were wonderful secondary characters and were always there for Ella. Overall, an enjoyable read, but without the wow factor.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5YA mysteries and thrillers are still relatively new territory for me, mainly because I still always seem to gravitate towards my safe fantasy territory. Which is why, when the opportunity to review a book like The Color of Lies presents itself, I'll happily oblige. This story in particular caught my attention because our protagonist had synesthesia. How CJ Lyons planned to incorporate that into Ella's story intrigued me, because it seemed to me that the ability to read auras would really come in handy in the event of a thriller. Ah, how right I was.It should be noted that I don't have a lot of background knowledge of synesthesia, and I always assumed that it revolved around colors. So it was so fascinating to me to meet Ella's family members, each with their own unique way of experiencing the world. In particular, Ella's uncle Joe had the ability to taste words. How cool is that? I just kept imagining what that would be like, to be able to taste the things that you say. Absolutely fascinating, if I do say so myself.I also really enjoyed Ella as a main character. She was enough of an adult to keep the teen angst to a minimum, but enough of sheltered child to make this whole mystery really flow. Her love for her family and friends made me fall for her pretty quickly, but her love of art really sealed the deal. Had this book only been from Ella's point of view, I think I would have been completely smitten.Unfortunately, this is a dual POV book. I normally am not a fan of dual POV anyway, but I really felt Alec's portion took away from some of the growth that we could have seen from Ella. I'll admit, Ella does get a fair bit more time in the limelight than Alec does. However since Alec starts out the story holding all the cards, and Ella has to play catch up, it makes her seem a little weak. I knew she wasn't. CJ Lyons has written a strong character who, despite her whole life being turned upside down multiple times, pushes through. I just wanted more of that, and more of her.As for the plot line, I'm of the opinion that it was actually pretty easy to unravel. My inkling about how the book was going to end started around the 1/3 mark, and the further the read the more I knew that I was absolutely right. I know that Lyons was trying to lay a trail of breadcrumbs. In fact, I think that some of that actually was done well. However there is a lot in the first half of the book that all but lights a neon sign pointing to what will happen at the end. As I said, I don't read a ton of mystery and I was able to unravel it. I'm not sure how die hard readers of this genre will feel.All in all, this was a pretty solid read. The Color of Lies drew me in with its premise, and kept me reading because I fell in love with the characters. Although the plot wasn't quite as twisty as I hoped for, that didn't stop this from being a book I all but flew through. I know this will be a satisfying read for a lot of you out there, and so I'll happily recommend you adding it to your reading list.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I am a fan of this author's. My first introduction to Mrs. Lyons was to her medical thriller series, Angels of Mercy. Which I enjoyed that series. This newest book from this author was one that sounded interesting and one that I had to check out. I did like this book. Although, I will say that I do feel like it is a book that may be enjoyed by the younger adult audience. Not to say that I was not a fan of this book but I just felt like the characters were in that borderline area of teen to almost an adult. Ella's special ability was cool. Yet, it was not showcased enough. The story seemed to be more focused on her parents murder then Ella's ability. I would have lied to have had more details and seen Ella use it more. Of course, there is romance between Ella and Alec. Their relationship is fine, not a bunch of sparks flying but at least it did not take over the main storyline.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Color of Lies by CJ Lyons is an intriguing exploration of the world of a family of synesthetes, and one young woman in particular. Ella Cleary, like most of her family on her mother's side, has a form of synesthesia. This is a unique condition where two or more of the senses become cross-wired. It manifests differently for each of them. Ella picks up emotion as colour. When Alec Ravanell approaches Ella for help with a project, she encounters a person not affected by her particular gift. Without seeing his colours, she feels like she's trying to parse a foreign language. Alec does need Ella's help, but not in the way she thinks. He doesn't need a graphic designer, but an interview with Ella herself regarding her parents’ deaths. But what she's been told was an accident, he's calling murder. It throws her world into turmoil. Which story is correct? And why can't she sense Alec? Adding to her inner conflict is worry over being unable to sense him, and wanting to be around him because it's what she imagines being normal is like. I really enjoyed this read! The mystery part was exciting, but what fascinated me most was the exploration of synesthesia, and how people would function differently given their unique manifestation of it. Like, I don't think I'd mind Ella's, but Gram Helen's? Nope. I could sympathise with her need to shutter herself away with safe sounds. I'm sound sensitive, and have misophonia. For me certain sounds are instantly maddening. At its worst, all sounds trigger stress, so I often need to hide away with safe sounds myself. Can't say I'd want Joe's version either! I feel the author researched this in-depth, or she knows several synesthetes. The writing drew me in and kept me reading. Chapters sometimes switched perspectives, but each chapter is prefaced with the name of the person it follows, so no confusion there! I loved the two main characters. I so grokked Ella being torn between family expectations for college, and following her dream. I remember going through that… I loved how awkward Ella and Alec are around one another at first. Too adorable. Not only did I enjoy reading about Ella's interactions with her world, but I wanted to know all about the mystery as well. A highly recommended read!***Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book was reviewed for the the Fantastic Flying Book Club.