The Color of Lies by C J Lyons – Review

About the Book

High school senior Ella Cleary has always been good at reading people. Her family has a rare medical condition called synesthesia that scrambles the senses—her Gram Helen sees every sound, and her uncle Joe can literally taste words. Ella’s own synesthesia manifests itself as the ability to see colors that reveal people’s true emotions…until she meets a guy she just can’t read.

Alec is a mystery to Ella, a handsome, enigmatic young journalist who makes her feel normal for the first time in her life. That is, until he reveals the real reason why he sought her out—he wants to learn the truth behind her parents’ deaths, the parents that Ella had always been told died in a fire. Alec turns Ella’s world upside down when he tells her their deaths were definitely not an accident.

After learning her entire life has been a lie, Ella doesn’t know who she can trust or even who she really is. With her adoptive family keeping secrets and the evidence mixing fact and fiction, the only way for Ella to learn the truth about her past is to find a killer.

Perfect for fans of Caroline B. Cooney, Ally Carter, and Jennifer Brown, The Color of Lies blurs the lines between black-and-white facts and the kaleidoscope of reality.

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In My Opinion

A young woman who can literally see the emotions of people around her, a family who lives with synesthesia, and a young reporter looking for answers combine to uncover truths long buried.

When Alec asks Ella questions she didn’t even know needed answered, everything she’s believed her entire life becomes suspect. What is the real story behind her parents’ deaths? And who, exactly, is Alec?

C J Lyons delivers a cast of interesting and memorable characters—from Ella and her family to her friends. And even though this story is categorized as YA (because Ella is eighteen), it never felt like I was reading in that genre.

The mystery moves the story along until the intense conclusion, and the immediate attraction (romance is pretty much non-existent until the end) and connection between Ella and Alec is palatable because it has a solid base readers will learn as the story progresses.

I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.