Colorless

Author: Rita Stradling

Narrators: Lauri Jo Daniels

Length: 9 hours 22 minutes

Publisher: Rita Stradling, Lauri Jo Daniels

Released: Oct. 2, 2017

Genre: YA Fantasy

In Domengrad, there are rules all must live by: Fear the Gods. Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts.

To Annabelle Klein, the rules laid down by the Magicians are the mere ramblings of stuffy old men. As far as she’s concerned, the historic Iconoclasts, heretics who nearly destroyed the Magicians so long ago, are nothing but myth. She has much more important matters to worry about.

Heiress to a manor mortgaged down to its candlesticks and betrothed to her loathsome cousin, sixteen-year-old Annabelle doubts the gods could forsake her more.

Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colourless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her.

Living like a wraith in her own home, Annabelle discovers that to regain her color she must solve the mystery behind her parents’ murders and her strange transformation.

Meanwhile, hundreds of the Magicians’ monks, with their all-black eyes and conjoined minds, have usurped control of Annabelle’s family manor. An Iconoclast is rumored to be about—a person who they claim goes unseen, unheard, and lost to memory, yet is the greatest threat to all of Domengrad. For the first time in a hundred years, the monks plan to unleash the dire wolves of old.

Their only target: Annabelle.

Rita Stradling is the author of Ensnared, Making Bad Choices, The Deception Dance series, the Dakota Kekoa series and The Fourteen Day Soul Detox Novella Serial. She has a BA in Art History and a particular love for modern and medieval art.

Rita lives with her husband and son in Northern California.

She has an insatiable novel addiction and mostly reads young adult and adult: romance, paranormal, urban fantasy and high fantasy.

Website⎮Facebook⎮Twitter

Narrator Bio

Lauri Jo Daniels has had her nose in a book since before she started kindergarten and has been reading stories out loud to anyone who would listen ever since. Her mom has always said that from the moment she was born she has never shut her mouth, so it just makes sense that she would make a living with her voice.

It was this love of reading that inspired her to major in English Lit and later to become a Young Adult Librarian
and it was this career that introduced her to the wonder of audiobooks. She began dreaming of narrating them one day herself. Today that dream has become reality.

Lauri Jo has a very versatile sound and a knack for character voices, both skills that truly bring a story to life. Those skills and her passion for storytelling have made her dream a reality.

When she’s not busy trying to organize the chaos of 2 teenagers and 6 animals at home, Lauri is producing material from The Huffington Post, Slate, and Playboy for SpokenLayer’s news podcast, SpokenEdition, voicing Alexa flash briefings for Biden’s Briefing, and narrating news and short stories for Medium Members while working on her next audiobook masterpiece.

Website⎮Facebook⎮Twitter⎮SoundCloud⎮Goodreads

This was an extremely bizarre read. And I mean that in a good way. Colorless is a story about a girl who learns her parents are dead, which seems immediately fishy to the reader. Then all of a sudden the color drains from her body and no one can see or seem to remember her. Even her fiance. Dang! Somehow this is all done by magic and members of the magic society who aren’t fans of nobles. She goes on a journey to fight for her life.

Annabelle is not a strong character. She is the epitome of a character that is thrust into a fight without really wanting to be a part of it. And that is what makes her so endearing as a character. Stradling does an excellent job of weaving in fantasy elements in her bizarre world. I would gladly read another story from her in a heartbeat! I give the story a 5/5 star rating.

As for the narration I thought Daniels did a decent job. She worked best with the secondary characters. I felt like they were completely different people and I enjoyed the voicing done for them. As for the main characters I felt like Annabelle’s voice was too young and waifish at times. Dylan’s seemed to be in an opposite direction and it was a little weird for me. Overall the production quality was excellent and I think if the narrator doesn’t try too hard with trying to distinguish between the main characters it would help in the future. I give the audio a 4/5 star rating.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Rita Stradling. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Q&A with Author Rita Stradling

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
- I’ve worked with a couple different narrators over the years, and each time it’s a little different. This time around, I had very little work to do. Lauri asked me some questions in the beginning, and we stayed in contact throughout. She sent me a publish ready product, I reviewed it and pressed publish.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
- I was so impressed with Lauri, I basically told her to have at it. She’s such a talented actress, and I didn’t want to squash her talent.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- Lately, I only ‘read’ in the audiobook format. Between writing and life, I just don’t have time to read physical books lately.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
- I’d say that it’s not a competition. Do you read books to feel accomplished or just because books make you feel and think (and escape to new lives and worlds)? If it’s solely the first, then, sure, read the books. But, don’t snub the people who read or listen for other reasons. We can all be book lovers together.
What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?
- I’d say the same answer for both: writing or reading in a different genre or sub-genre. I often hop between genres. Some of my favorites are: Urban Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Cozy Mystery, Epic Fantasy.
In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
- From a marketing perspective, there’s no advantage to writing a standalone (in my opinion). But, I do it because I like to move onto my next crazy idea.
What’s your favorite:
1. Food – Tie – Kraft mac’n’cheese and steak & lobster
2. Song – Anything by Imagine Dragons
3. Book – how much time do you have? Oh my goodness . . . I’ll just give you my favorite author: Ilona Andrews.
4. Television show – Veronica Mars
5. Movie – V for Vendetta
6. Band – Imagine Dragons
7. Sports team – Sorry
8. City – Victoria, BC
What’s next for you?
- One of my books is part of the Sigils and Spells boxed set. Sigils and Spells is a collection of over twenty Urban Fantasy novels that we’re selling for $0.99 for a limited time. It comes out January 2nd. There are parties and lots of giveaways planned.
  
  Here’s the blurb:A dangerously beautiful vision of unique worlds that’s sure to leave its mark.
  Cross through the looking glass into Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Dystopian realms where you’ll meet valiant heroes, kick-ass heroines, and dangerous creatures waiting to unveil the hidden corners of the universe.
  
  SIGILS & SPELLS includes more than twenty exclusive novels that roam the sands of Egypt, slip into the shadows of 1940s Los Angeles, voyage to the mystical land of Mabi, and dare to traverse the stars.
  
  From the deserts of Africa to the streets of San Antonio, mythological adventurers strike out to discover brand new worlds and unravel the mysteries of Earth in a limited edition boxed set offering the diversity and originality you haven’t been able to find before now.
  
  Dare to enter forbidden realms of unexpected beauty and peril? Secure your copy of SIGILS & SPELLS today – before it disappears forever!
  
  You can learn more on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sigilsandspells/