Colors Of The Dark: Jenna Pick

Excellent story with interesting interlinking characters and kept you hooked on what was going to happen next. Most enjoyable book I have read for very long time.

This was an easy 5 stars to grant!

Set in a small town rocked by the disappearance of a young girl, All the Colors of the Dark is a dark, slow-burn mystery that mixes edge-of-your-seat tension with a heap of emotional depth. The unease and suspicion are so thick you can practically feel it as the characters try to navigate their grief and fear.

The small-town vibe is nailed—everyone knows everyone, but no really knows anything. The characters are messy and flawed, but you end up caring about them anyway.

Whitaker’s writing is vivid and haunting, making the tension feel real. The pacing’s a little slow at times, but totally worth it. Whitaker peels back the layers of the mystery bit by bit, and the emotional punch adds a heavy but necessary element. If you liked Demon Copperhead or All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, you’ll love this.

Bottom line: If you’re in the mood for beautiful writing, emotional upheaval and characters that stay with you, All the Colors of the Dark is a solid pick.

Note: the subject matter could be triggering for those sensitive to child abuse.

My go to reading genre is fantasy, paranormal, romantasy, so this was out of the norm for me. I will be brutally honest, at first I cringed, dreaded picking up the book, and made excuses to not read when I normally read. I have a hard time with realistic fiction that delve into gut wrenching situations dealing with kids. They affect me deeply. I thought this was going to turn out to be like a Mystic River. But it wasn’t. It’s a beautiful journey in the lives of these perfectly constructed, pure, heart-filled characters. It’s a story about hope and salvation. The writer weaves each person’s story together and blends them into a magnificent braided path. Even though at times I was absolutely afraid for the outcome, I read on because I was sucked into their lives and wanted to find out how it finally all concluded for them. It has a familiarity to Forrest Gump, traveling through the decades in the lives of the characters and demonstrating how every action starting from the very first page carried relevance through a lifespan.
My only complaint is that there were too many unnecessary chapters or points that were droned on and repetitive. There were chapters I felt added no importance to moving the plot or characters along. This could have been shortened a bit. Overall, no regrets I veered from my norm and read this book. A book that will certainly keep you wanting to know more and leave you breathing easy and satisfied.

Creative, beautifully crafted and written. A compelling study of injustice, hope and retribution. Fast moving like a crime story, but deeply moving.

I was a little bit unsure early on in the book about how much I was going to enjoy it. I liked it from the start, but felt my feelings for it ‘lag’ a bit for part of the first quarter of it. Then, I’m not even sure how it happened, but it grabbed me by the heart and kept me all the way through. I had a hard time putting it down (man, I just LOVE short chapters) and had quite a few surprises. Great book, excellent and creative plot that was well told.

I normally read for escape, but this wasn’t a rainbows and butterflies place to escape too. That being said, the things these characters endured and suffered left me breathless and I NEEDED to get to the end. It was a page turner because I just had to know. I liked the style of writing, though I do agree this book could have been a little more condensed. Otherwise, these characters have my heart. ***SPOILERS AHEAD*** A few dislikes I had: I hated that Saint felt forced into marrying Jimmy. I hated the disregard Patch had for Saint for nearly the entire book – he came back because of her, and yet despite his gratitude left her in the dust so to speak (while continuing to use her as a resource and her voicemail as an emotional dumping ground). Her unwavering devotion and love for him was never returned equally, though he very clearly loved her as a close friend. His connection with Misty left me upset and nauseous. Like Saint said she could have anyone, why him? Her death brought more despair to an already upsetting tale. His obsession with Grace also left me feeling unsteady but I could at least understand his need to find her as she helped him survive. I understand there were uplifting parts – the art, the missing girls, the connections made – and yet I still found so much of this story hard to swallow. Why am I still giving this 4 stars? I guess because the plot was so harrowing, gripping, and I couldn’t put it down (devouring it in 2 days). Best read of the year? No. But definitely a riveting story to take in.

I loved this book! It kept twisting and turning, keeping me engaged throughout. Slightly slower in the beginning, but about 40% through it really picked up pace. I enjoyed the characters and the story development. Probably the best fiction book I’ve read.