The Color of Grace by Linda Kage

Release Date: September 1, 2012
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Pages: 333
Series: n/a
Review Source: eARC from author

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Meet sixteen-year-old Grace Indigo:

Hey. When my mother remarried after thirteen years of being a widow, I had to move to a new town and enroll in a new school. Suddenly thrust into an entirely different kind of life, I just wanted to go home. I didn’t want to meet new people, didn’t want to leave my old friends, didn’t want to become a third wheel to my mom and her husband...and I really didn’t want to see Ryder Yates again. Ugh, I still don’t know why I turned down that too-good-to-be-true boy who flirted with me when we were attending separate schools.

But honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It was worse.

Who knew becoming lost in a new life could help a girl find her true colors?

My Thoughts:
I was looking to read a good contemporary YA, so I thought I would start 'The Color of Grace'. It seemed like it would be cute, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I liked Linda Kage's last YA novel, but it didn't blow me away. But this one? Consider me a huge fan. I started this book at night, and despite how late it got I told myself I would just read another chapter. Needless to say, this kept happening and I found myself reading the final paragraph through bleary eyes at 3 am.

I loved Grace, the main character. She clearly grows as a character throughout the book. She learns about others, about herself, and in the end she’s a very strong person. I also adored the chemistry between Grace and Ryder. If you’re anything like me you’ll find yourself exclaiming “Just get together already!” to the two of them (what, don’t you talk to your books?? ;). I also liked Ryder as an individual character. He's this popular basketball player, but he’s not perfect, and Grace doesn’t see him that way. He has flaws, but they make him all the more appealing.

While this story focuses a lot on Grace starting a new school and dealing with friends and boys, it also has another very serious subplot. I won’t ruin it for you, but the way the author handled it was great, and though it was hard to read about I think it was extremely well done. Another difficult aspect was Grace’s relationship with her mother. Her mother’s behaviour will make you very angry at times, but I think their relationship shows how things can get in the way or get manipulated very easily.

There’s something really special about ‘The Color of Grace’. I loved the way it was written, and it left me smiling at the end, especially because of how things worked out after all the hardships Grace had to bear. If you’re looking for a contemporary romance that delivers tons of swoon while still recognizing that there’s more to life than boys, be sure to check out ‘The Color of Grace’: it’s definitely one of my contemporary YA favourites for the year.

The Cover:
Overall I like it. The glove has a big significance, so I like that it's there, but it does kind of stick out in a weird way.

Rating:
[4.5/5]

Find The Color of Grace by Linda Kage on Goodreads, Whiskey Creek Press, & Amazon.