Author: Brenda Stanley
Published By: Tribute Books
Age Recommended: YA
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For GMTA
Rating: 5

Review:

"The Color of Snow" by Brenda Stanley was a real very interesting fiction and even though it was a long read, I found it hard to put down until I had finished it. There are just three words that describe this wonderful read and that would beabsolutely beautiful written...of a girl name Sophie that had been locked up from the world. Why would any father do this to his child? What is this curse and just where did it come from? You will find that this story will go back and forth from present day to past events...that will give you a really good story.

This author really worked her magic in her descriptions in this read and the title..."Color of Snow".... just what color was this snow that only starts at the beginning and goes until the last word? Sophie's journey which was very heart-breaking story that started at the beginning on this emotional roller coaster ride and discovering everything about her life....her dad (Luke) , mom, grandparents, a cousin...Stephanie...Danny, Damien...her friends...only naming a few because there are more that will simply keep you on this journey until the end. You will find that in this novel... love, loss, secrets, self discovery, social class issues, and a difference in religious beliefs. With Sophie being kidnapped as a baby ...now seventeen entering a very complicated world that will have you asking the question will Sophie be able to endure and just why did Sophie's dad Luke think she was cursed? There will be a lots of lies and secrets...a lots with many twist and turns that will be revealed in this novel. All of these questions that need to be answered will only be if you pick up this good read and find out what, why, and how.

After you finish with this read of "The Color of Snow" you will get the jolt of raw emotions that will leave you saying wow and the big question answered to Will Sophie be able in the end with she find the strength to lead a rich and full life? I enjoyed this read and I would recommend "The Color of Snow"d to you as a excellent read. ( )

I adore dark fiction. The Color of Snow is about Sofie, who believes that she is cursed. Those who love her die. And the reason I loved this book is that until the very last chapter, I wasn’t sure whether or not the curse was real. This is a non-linear book. It flip-flops between the current story of Sophie and the past with Sophie’s father, Luke, prior to her birth. Both Sophie and Luke are easy to sympathize with, and although Luke kidnapped his daughter at birth, as the story progresses nothing is black and white.

It felt like I was playing Russian roulette with each chapter, wondering if Sophie and the other characters would survive to the next chapter, particularly towards the end. Call me morbid, but I like the possibly of the star of the book dying. Extra props for possibility of murder or suicide. Although I loved the ending, there are quite a few unanswered questions. Without revealing any spoilers: I know what happens to Sofie and Stephanie, but all the other characters seem to be in limbo in the final chapter. I’m not sure if this is a setup for a sequel, but I’m really left wondering.

This book is labeled at YA contemporary but don’t expect the traditional romance. In fact, romance really takes a back-seat in this novel. There’s more development between Luke’s romances than Sophie’s. As someone who doesn’t enjoy romances much, it’s a plus. If you like your romances, you may be disappointed in that department.

I liked how the many of the characters evolved from past (Luke’s POV) to present (Sophie’s POV). Also, the grandparents were really fleshed out, as Luke and Sophie had very different perspectives on them. I also likes Stephanie – she was a great friend to Sophie and her past was nearly as messed up. My jaw dropped when I figured out what had happened to her. I totally wasn’t expecting anything like that, but it definitely helped the story. I liked the morals of The Color of Snow: Things aren’t always what people tell you they are. Bad things happen to everyone. You can either give up or keep going.

Overall, I really liked this book. But as a stand-alone, I wish some of the minor plot lines were tied up before the story concluded. ( )

This book brought out the best of me and the worst of me. I teetered on absolutely loving it and wanting to throw my Kindle across the room because it worked up my emotions to the point of a break down.

“The Color of Snow” is a dramatic book with such strong characters that the constant switch of times with each chapter works out wonderfully. In fact, I think it made the book. The story has three time zones that it shares with its readers. One is the story of Luke and Vee. The second is the story of Sophie living with her father and the third is after her father has been arrested and she is living with her grandparents. If this had been any normal book, I don’t think it would have jumbled the reader but Stanley makes the transitions so smoothly that I was never confused.

The plot is filled with heavy emotions that are not settled until the very last page. As the reader, you will see that each section stores brutal pain, young love, desperation, lies, truth, friendship, self-discovery, and hope. To me, all these emotions are why I found myself absorbed into this book.

I am going to focus a little on the main character Sophie. I feel like if I go into the rest of the characters, I would be giving some secrets away. During Sophie’s younger years, she lived a very sheltered life. Her father kept her hidden in the house on a plot of land very far away from town. So when Sophie’s father is taken to prison, her grandparents get custody of her and a whole new world opens up. Normally, a whole new world would be something to be excited about. But Stanley writes Sophie’s character so well that you get to experience the fear, the wonderment, the newness, and confusion of a whole new world. In Sophie’s eyes, her new way of living was a little scary.

The only thing I will say that was confusing to me, and I have noticed that other reviewers felt the same way, is that the story between Luke and Vee felt like it was written in the past. When you read about their story, it is set in the 1990’s, but it feels like it could just be picked up and place in the 1920’s and work.

So, if you are looking for a book that can make you feel like you have been put through the wringer, this is the book for you. It will break your heart but mend it back together again and again.~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~ ( )

Original post here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-color-of-snow-blog-tour-indie.ht...

Wow! To say this book took me by surprise is an understatement. The level of tragedy is heartwrenching, but so profound. From the first page, you are immediately sucked in. How deep this story goes is amazing and will leave you breathless.

The Color of Snow follows a young girl named Sophie whose lived a very sheltered life. She has been brought up differently. All she does is read, draw and do chores around the house when her father isn't home. Her father keeps her in their home away from people because he warns her that they could hurt people. He says they are both cursed. But Sophie is always daydreaming about having human interactions with others especially the boy she has been in love with since she was eleven. Of course, dad never knew, but things change one day that could stop her from seeing him forever when it seems the curse has made an appearance. But Sophie doesn't know the true extent of who she is and whether her father or the people who claim to be her lost family are lying to her.

Goodness, this book was hard to read, but in a good way. It is so heartbreaking, you do need to stop and catch your breath a few times. I love Sophie and the emotional rollercoaster she puts us on. A girl who has been told one thing all her life, kept isolated most of her life thinking she is cursed. I love that even though she is told these things, she wants to be more. She is brave and strong, but she doesn't know it. You relate to her a lot and root for her to find her own answers and herself. She learns how to do more of that though through her "kind of" cousin Stephanie. Meeting her is one of the best things that happens to Sophie. You will love her, trust me.

I love how the book alternates between Sophie's POV and her father's. It really builds up the mystery of the story more. You really can't stop trying to get to the bottom of it all. We see Sophie flashback to when she first met Damien and all that has happened to them to this point which lead to strange people knocking at her door. She is definitely scared and all she wants is to go home. Just imagining a girl being sheltered and then thrust into another family in less than a day is just overwhelming. You share those feelings with her. I love following her journey to discover the truth. It is such a significant part of the story and her life as a whole. Then her dad's story of his love for a girl he shouldn't be with because her dad saw him as nothing but a mule. The pain they both share is intense, but more so with her dad. His story is where the actual romance comes in, not much with Sophie. But the things that follow are just...goodness, I can't say it.

Another review that is difficult to write because it is so good and I don't want to reveal too much. Stanley has done such a beautiful job with this book. She handles topics in this book that most avoid and does it in a way that feels real and not like propaganda. This is one of the freshest YA books I have read. It packs a punch and the fact that this is Contemporary is surprising given that this book isn't as paranormal as it sounds. You are good Stanley. Seriously, this book feels so real, but you wouldn't have guessed that it wasn't paranormal. But even with my unconditional love for all things paranormal and fantasy, this book managed to feed into that without actually having it (that made sense, right?) The Color Of Snow is one of those reads that when you finish it, it will stick with you for a while and probably have you crying for sometime too. This is a very thought-provoking read that I believe everyone should be reading. Okay, I am stopping here, spoiling is becoming too tempting. Read this pronto! ( )

The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley is a story about a young woman coming of age amidst a strange childhood. Secrets and lies are what she finds out her young life has been. Her mother has died, her father has kept her hidden from a normal life to protect her. The story is told in two different time frames, one of Sophia telling us of her life with her father, the other is of her father as a young man and his love affair with Sophia's mother. Through these two different narratives we find that because of people's superstitions, a young woman's life is not as it should be. After her father is arrested and she is taken from the only home she knows and sent to her mother's parents to live. She is a pariah amongst her own peers, she is the beautiful girl who lived in a cage, her mother died when she was born, she still loves a young man who was one of the only friends she had growing up, her father is in prison for just trying to protect his daughter and there is a curse on her, that was cast by a scared and angry grandmother. Wow, that is a lot for a young woman to be able to absorb and deal with, but deal with it she does.

This book was a little slow going at first but once I figured out who the characters were I started getting into the story. A heartbreaking story that has the reader wondering what will happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend it not only for the YA audience but for adults as well.. ( )