...Bookfanatic

before you begin you might want to consider stocking up on tissues, chocolate or other preferred comfort foods, a very cuddly teddy will be helpful and possibly copious amounts of alcohol...just sayin' it never hurts to be prepared...oh, and most important of all grab a couple of friends because this one really is best not read alone.

So first thing I did grabbed Josy, who in turn grabbed Simone. We're good that way, we try and drag as many people as possible down the rabbit hole with us when we go there.

Next I grabbed Jackson, he's just the cutest cream colored bear in the world and he lives in my office where I do all my buddy reads. Right now he's trying to get his fur dry...it's almost there...honest. Then I checked the tissue supply...8 boxes...I should be able to manage with that, finally it's off to the story to lay in my supply of comfort food...ok, now I'm ready...

Ok, forget that I only thought I was ready because really I wasn't...I'm not sure anyone could ever be ready for this book.

'Complimentary Colors' is a romance, a love story, a murder mystery/thriller, it's stark and cold in it's portrayal of how easily wrong outward appearances can be because once you look beyond the surface what appeared to be a charmed life...is in fact a cursed life.

Paris is an artist, he's famous, he makes obscene amounts of money, he's beautiful and everybody wants him. He sees the world through colors...colors that he puts onto canvas for the world to see. Except no one ever sees what he's truly put onto canvas...no one that is until Roy. 

Roy is all those things that we often take for granted. He's solid, dependable, constant, honest, loyal, patient and kind. Basically he's all the good things that Paris hasn't had in his life wrapped up in one nice sexy package and this made me happy because Paris...well his story broke me and I needed for him to have someone like Roy. I needed to believe that after all he'd gone through there would be some happiness for him...some color for his life...beautiful vibrant colors...the colors of love.

Let's talk about Paris's jailer next and yes that's what she was. For years his sister Julia kept Paris trapped in his own living hell. I hated Julia...no, seriously H-A-T-E-D with a passion, a strong and burning passion...a part of me spent hours plotting her demise and is honestly still working on it. Ok, my rage is building let's move on to Paris's sister Alice, my thoughts on here a little more ambiguous and I'd have to go into far too much detail to clarify that for anyone who hasn't already read the book. So Alice = ambiguous, for more detail you'll need to read the book...sorry...not.

I was more than a little impressed by the wonderful secondary characters Adrienne Wilder created...whether it's someone as vile and horrid as Julia or as warm and wonderful as Louise or Dr. Carmichael. The depth and life that they add to the story is incredible and does so much to enhance the detail and bring this story to life.

I could probably go on and on about this book. It was a heartbreaking story. Probably one of the hardest I've ever read. For me it was on a level with 'A Little Life', 'Listening to Dust' or 'Blood Memories' (ok, this is the biggie for me folks because very, very few books every get put on the same shelf as this one in my world). Anyways, I could go on but I'm not going to because I think the best that I can say now it...if you want more reviews there are some truly amazing ones on GR so here's the link to the book page...

Complimentary Colors by Adrienne Wilder

follow the link scroll down and there they are a plethora of awesome reviews for you and the other thing read the book, I know it's a hard read but it's also a worthwhile read (see the instructions about this at the top of this review) 

Now, last of all Josy and Simone...thank you so much for holding my hands on this one and as promised here are the songs...

I couldn't decide on one so there's 3, I hope you find them as fitting as I did. The first one is Paris's song for Roy...

Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls

this one is Roy's song for Paris...

I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz

and this one...well it just seems to belong to the book...

How to Save a Life by The Fray

Can't wait until our next buddy read ladies, I'm sure Jackson will be dried out by then if needed or maybe we could find something a little lighter next time just to give ourselves a break...either way just let me know and I'll be there.