Colorworld Readalong: Colorworld Chapters 23-33

Hey all, Dani here.

How are we on week three of this readalong already? It feels like we just started. Of course, at the same time, it has been strange and difficult for me to keep myself to just reading the pages laid out in the readalong schedule, because every time I pick up a book in this series, I just want to keep reading me way through the whole book. Plus I’ve brought the whole series with me on vacation, and I’m hoping to be able to do a bit of a photoshoot with them, but the weather might interfere with that a little bit. We’ll see.

So I’m hosting a readalong for the Colorworld book series. This event will actually take us through the rest of 2020, which gives us all something to look forward to. Hopefully we’ll get to finish this readalong by reading Waterworld, Volume 4, which should be coming out at the end of 2020. Then we’ll all get to wait together for Waterworld, Volumes 5 and 6, and then the final book in the series…which I don’t know the name of yet. I know I’m excited to read these books again, this time with other readers, both old and new to the series.

Colorworld is 352 pages long (the original version anyway) with 45 chapters total. There is also an illustrated edition, the e-book, or the audiobook. I do definitely recommend listening to this book if you are someone who enjoys audiobooks. The voice actor cast is absolutely incredible. This first book just features Todd Haberkorn and Cherami Leigh, but they have also added Brittney Karbowski, David Wald, and Chiemeri Osemele.

The readalong for June 1-June 29 will cover Colorworld, the first book of the series. I’ll have the book details below the cover image. And you can find previous week discussion links below as well.

And you can check out my post with the full readalong details here.

June 1-8: ———Read Chapters 1-11

June 8-15: ——-Read Chapters 12-22

June 15-22: —–Read Chapters 23-33

June 22-29: —–Read Chapters 34-Epilogue

Wen knows what love looks like. Since her mom died over a year ago, she’s seen it every day on her orphaned younger brother’s face. Wen’s made good on her promise to her mom that she’d take care of Ezra, even quitting her carefree party-girl ways to become a hard-working college student so she can provide for him.

Wen knows what love feels like, too. Because when she touches people, she feels what they do. “Uniquely perceptive” is what her mom called it, and Wen’s not going to argue; she doesn’t know any different.

But an energy therapy study changes not only what Wen knows about her unusual gift; it also changes her. Now, instead of feeling emotions, her touch brings death to others. No one is safe around her, especially Ezra.

Wen turns to energy healers for help. And that’s where she meets him: Mr. Tenacious and Audacious, Gabe Dumas. He knows about love, too; he speaks it in ways Wen has never experienced. And he’s never even touched her.

With her heart unraveling, Wen discovers a world only she can see. It may offer hope for her condition… or it may be better left hidden. *Intended for 16 and up

Be warned…the rest of the post (and the comments) are likely to contain a deeper discussion of the story, including potential spoilers.

Chapters 23-33

1. What did you think of Wendy’s admission of love towards Gabriel, as well as the way they set new boundaries and challenges to their unique relationship? Also, do you think Kaylen was playing matchmaker and forcing them into this conversation by setting them up to go horseback riding together?
2. Wendy struggles a little bit with the idea that her brother is really Einstein-level genius, after learning that he’s consulting for her uncle’s company, which just so happens to be a software firm specializing in surveillance and holds numerous government contracts. Do you think that Ezra is naturally talented or supernaturally talented? Why?
3. So I have to know…does reading this book make you hungry? I’m specifically asking because this reading section has a few scenes of Wendy being assigned kitchen duty, and of course, there is the classic Wendy/Gabriel scene talking about spinach and artichoke dip.
4. What do you think about this newest revelation when it comes to the colorworld? Being able to direct thoughts and images while using a person to channel into the colorworld seems like a useful skill to have. What about what we’ve learned about energy movement and hypno-touch thus far?
5. Finally, what did you think of that Kaylen ability revelation?

Whew, the debates and conversations between Wendy and Gabriel just keep getting more fascinating and…well, steamy isn’t quite the right word, but they are intense and steamy in a way that is unique to this story. I think the limitations on them because of Wendy’s death touch make the constraints of their desires and the growth of their relationship something unlike anything I’ve seen before. And whether intentional or not all the time, I do believe that Kaylen is totally helping to facilitate these conversations that end up developing and changing their relationship in interesting ways. So Kaylen is definitely the wingwoman you want in your corner when trying to find your romantic partner. LOL.

Based on where we are in the story, and with what we know just this far in, it’s possible that Ezra could just be naturally gifted or supernaturally gifted when it comes to his mathematical skills. Granted, considering what I know of super-power stories and the like, it does seem incredibly more likely that Ezra is one of these people with a natural-born ability. (Of course, as someone who has already read every released book in the series, I know the actual answer to this, but hey, I’m trying to avoid spoilers.) So yeah, it could go either way.

Yep, reading this book absolutely makes me hungry. And yes, the spinach and artichoke dip keeps being utilized and referenced in future books as well. It becomes a thing, and I find that to be fun. Reading this book actually did make me hungry for some spinach and artichoke dip, as well as other foods. Pair that with the delicious food photos on the @colorworldbooks Instagram and oh boy, yeah it definitely makes my mouth water.

I just love that we’re slowly learning more about the colorworld as the story progresses. I love that both Wendy and Gabriel will come up with theories on their own and then either talk through their ideas with the other or will just say “hey, let’s try something.” Of course in Gabe’s case it’s more like he’ll just test an idea without talking to Wendy about it first because he wants an unbiased answer for it all. I think it’s cool that whoever Wendy is using to channel herself into the colorworld can direct their thoughts or images to her. If it worked both ways then it could make for some fun private conversations. As it stands now, it’s a useful tool for Gabriel to use as he tries to woo Wendy.

On the energy therapy and hypno-touch side of things, some of it still sounds hokey to me. It’s like Wendy and Gabriel are learning stuff on their own based on their own experiences, as well as what Wendy can see and hear and feel, but some of what they are discovering pretty much contradicts what Wendy is learning from Louise, so it’s making Louise’s information sound a bit wishy-washy and like a bunch of hokum.

Finally, heck yes, it was so cool to see how powerful Kaylen actually is. It just felt weird that Gabe’s counting and memorization abilities seemed pretty strong, and obviously Wendy’s emodar and death-touch and colorworld skills are rather impressive…but all the other abilities around the compound seem rather lackluster. So finding out that Kaylen has been hiding just how talented and powerful she is legitimately makes sense. Of course, when she reveals the kind of life she has had by being on her own so much and having her dad pretty much force her to be at the compound and go under hypno-touch all the time, you realize that Kaylen hasn’t exactly had much of a real childhood. She’s had to grow up and protect herself.

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All right, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these first chapters in the comments. Feel free to pose your own questions for the rest of us participants as well. Seriously, I would love to answer any questions you could pose about what we’re reading.

Oh…and take a photo of you and your copy of any of the Colorworld series and post it on social media, tagging @colorworldbooks, and ask to join the ColorworldLive VIP group on Facebook. I’m also hosting a weekly Colorworld book video chat on Mondays from 7 pm – 9 pm Eastern time.