HF Virtual Book Tours Review: Color Song by Victoria Strauss

Title: Color Song
Author: Victoria Strauss
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Skyscape
Publish Date: September 16, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Artistically brilliant, Giulia is blessed - or cursed - with a spirit's gift: she can hear the mysterious singing of the colors as she creates them in the convent workshop of Maestra Humilita. It's here that Giulia, forced into the convent against her will, has found unexpected happiness and rekindled her passion to become a painter?an impossible dream for any woman in 15th century Italy.

But when a dying Humilita bequeaths Giulia her most prized possession - the secret formula for the luminously beautiful paint called Passion blue - Giulia realizes she's in danger from those who have long coveted the famous color. Faced with the prospect of a life in the convent barred from painting as punishment for keeping Humilita's secret, Giulia is struck by a desperate idea: What if she disguises herself as a boy? Could she make her way to Venice and find work as an artist's apprentice?

Along with the truth of who she is, Giulia carries more dangerous secrets: the exquisite voices of her paint colors and the formula for Humilita's Passion blue. And Venice, she discovers, with its gilded palazzos and masked balls, has secrets of its own. Trapped in her false identity in this dream-like place where reality and reflection are easily confused, and where art and ambition, love and deception hover like dense fog, can Giulia find her way?"

My Two Cents:

"Color Song" is the continuing story of Giulia, young woman who is forced to go to a convent. The first book in the series was called "Passion Blue" and "Color Song"  s definitely a standalone book. However, that being said. you may want to read "Passion Blue" first because it is a very good book and does give some insight into Giulia's means. "Color Song" picks up almost where the last book leaves off Giulia is still in the convent and is dreading her life there. Her painting mentor has just passed away and has left Giulia with a secret recipe that many people would do many things to get. The only thing that Giulia can think of to do is run away.

While I really enjoyed "Passion Blue," I think that "Color Song" definitely has a lot more action. Again this is a young adult, historical fiction book that takes place during the Italian Renaissance. It's filled with rich detail and great characters. It is definitely a treat for historical fiction fans! All of the action kept me turning the pages! Giulia runs away from the convent in Padua and tries to go to Venice, where she hopes to become an apprentice to a famous Venetian painter. I loved reading about her journey!

Italy is just about one of my favorite places to read about. I especially like historical fiction set within Italy and the Renaissance definitely makes for a very interesting time period. The author does a great job of incorporating a lot of historical detail to really make the setting and the time come to life for the reader! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it definitely kept me entertained.

Giveaways:

To enter to win any of the following prizes please complete the form below (these are for the whole tour):

2 Grand Prizes Winners: One Kindle Paperwhite with custom Color Song cover with Color Song and Passion Blue ebooks pre-loaded, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks), and signed paperback editions of Strauss's Stone duology (The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone) (US only)
  2 winners: Signed hardcovers of Color Song and Passion Blue, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks) (US and Canada)  
5 winners: Signed paperbacks of Color Song and Passion Blue, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks) (US and Canada)

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on October 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on October 11th and notified via email. Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
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