An intense fantastic read! Dare I say the next Hunger Games....By Shannon on August 10, 2015Format: Kindle Edition Verified PurchaseThe Color of Jade is a young adult novel that fits right in with the trend set by the Hunger Games and Divergent series. Mae Redding did an amazing job writing a novel that not only is appealing to the young adult crowd but like the previously mentioned series this book can be enjoyed by many generations. It is about a time when a devastating illness has taken the lives of a large part of the world’s population. A worldwide epidemic left those that survived to fend for themselves till the government can be reinstated or a new regime can take charge.The main character is a young girl, just sixteen years of age, named Jade. She and her family live together on a farm trying to help the community and get by as well. Her parents never returned after the illness had spread through their area. The negative force in this novel is a local anarchist group run by Morrison. He believes that the government was corrupt and no longer has a place in the world. And he plans to create a new order. When he explained the new order he said it is where men would be men and women would go back to acting as women should. From the readers perspective it is apparent he would like the world to revert back to women in a role of servitude instead of full and valued citizens.Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances Jade becomes a key component in the civil unrest and followed shortly with civil war. One of Morrison’s men has claimed Jade as his and a forced wedding on her 17th birthday is planned. She was kidnaped from her home after her older brother and twin brother oppose Morrison’s rulings and plot to rebel against Morrison’s group.The novel envelops the reader in its action as well as the emotions of Jade. There is not even one part of the novel that is dry or seen as irrelevant. Even when she is reminiscing of times they had together the previous summer it only adds to the illustration of how much their lives have changed. The addition of Gage as the romantic aspect keeps hope alive that at some point Jade will find a happily ever after that every girl dreams of.Overall I truly cannot wait to read the next in the series. I desperately want to know what has happened to Jade, her twin and her lover for Gage. I could not put this book down it was a page turner and left me thinking how much more realistic this story line is compared to the Hunger Games or even Divergent. A Marvelous novel by Mae Redding hands down!

5 out of 5 star review Promising New YA Dystopian Series By Charity on August 3, 2015Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase“The Color of Jade” (book one in a new YA dystopian series) by Mae Redding is a very engaging read. The story follows a sixteen-year-old girl named Jade Kennington as she attempts to stay alive in a brutal and unforgiving post apocalyptic world. Those struggling to survive are caught between a brutal militia and those opposing and trying to keep the peace. During a struggle one day, Jade accidently kills a sadistic but prominent militia member, which puts a target on her and her family by the militia’s leader. Readers follow along with Jade and she is forced to leave home and her put her trust and her life in the hands of others.I thought “The Color of Jade” was a great start to a new dystopian series. I felt the book had enough twists and turns to set it apart in the already flooded YA dystopian market. Jade was a likeable protagonist and I thought her dialogue and reactions to what was happening to her to be realistic. I look forward to reading the next book when it’s released and finding out what happens next!

5 of 5 star review, A very awesome book cover

By Tony Parsons on August 25, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

A virus had started on a US military base. 13 known cases there. 12 then 29 then 10 more cases were quickly reported worldwide.
Rubin Morrison (Dale’s son) stopped by & informed Trey Kennington (16, twin) Kane & his dad wanted to see him ASAP.

Jade Kennington (twin), Kane Kennington (Jade/Trey’s brother), Trey, Joel Michaels, Gage Michaels (Joel’s brother, Zach’s cousin), Chale (Raul’s son), Elias (Raul’s son), & Emery (16, Trey’s twin sister) were trying to survive another day.

Rubin (Militia), Quinn Jackson (Damian’s brother, Militia) & Damian Jackson (22, Militia), were also trying to survive the fast approaching catastrophic epidemic also.
Little Creek was patrolled 24/7 by the Militia group.

What about Jade & Gage?
Where will the 2 different groups have to journey?
Who will survive & who will perish?

Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violence, adult content or expletive language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written YA post-apocalyptic-dystopian book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of very unique/colorful characters to keep track of. This could also make another great YA post-apocalyptic-dystopian movie, or mini TV series. To be continued? I like them a little more gory & graphic. However I will still rate it at 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; Self-published; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

5 out of 5 star review- I recommend this book to fans of dystopian and young adultBy Alexandra on August 28, 2015Format: Kindle EditionIn the blurb, this book is described as something that falls into the same category as the Hunger Games and Divergent. While I haven’t read the books and I don’t plan on doing so, I have seen the movies and quite liked them. And I can agree that The Color of Jade can easily become a favorite read for the fans of these series. It’s obviously young adult, with a dystopian setting, a lot of action and with an adventure flair to it. It also features a strong female protagonist, and is spiced up with a tender love story. Which, by the way, is very tastefully done. It was one of the reasons why I decided to give this book a try – there was a short snippet in the beginning that was so beautiful, not like some swoony romance in the usual PNR that I avoid like plague. Here’s an excerpt:The way he spoke with confidence, the way he curled his lip slightly when he smiled,the sincerity in his eyes, and the movement of his body as he walked. His fiercely protective and chivalrous mannerisms’ spoke to me in a way that rendered me speechless and burned warmth through me like nothing else I’d known, hotter than the tangible fire in front of me.It’s also a survival story with a lot of twists and turns, and the author certainly knows how to write a hooking story without a single boring chapter. I liked her creativity with names: Jade, Kane, Emery, Gage; original names like that help me distinguish the characters among the others in my head. As Jade becomes the center point of the war conflict, her friends and family unite around her, trying to keep her safe. This team of colorful characters will stay in my head for a long time. I came to love them very quickly.The plot is clear enough from the blurb, and I don’t see a reason to repeat it. But I’ll also add that the young adult aspect was very well done, as the story touches such important for teens things as self-esteem and reliance, speaks of values and virtues that they should know about. It brings up the gender equality issue without making it annoying, and without leaving any irritating imprint on the protagonist (which often happens in YA. God, make me unsee Graceling.).The short excerpt above tells you all you need to know about the author’s style. Its delicacy and beauty and precision have left me in admiration.I recommend this book to fans of dystopian and young adult, but honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone at all wouldn’t like it.I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 stars The Color of Jade

Bywriteandwriteon August 30, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I am a huge fan of The Hunger Games and I enjoyed reading that series. This book was very similar to that series and I thought that the author did a great job of defining the characters and creating the scenes. The book is a perfect read for the young adult genre, but I can also see how the book would be a great read for every generation. The main character is a 16 year old girl named Jade who lives on her family farm. Jade finds herself in a battle between Morrison and his Militia. I liked reading about the relationship between Jade and Gage. Gage was so protective of Jade and I loved that characteristic. I found that the book was well-written and I can't wait to read another one from this author.

5 out of 5 stars- The next big series?...

ByCourtneyTOP 1000 REVIEWERon August 31, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I'm a huge fan of the dystopian genre and The Color of Jade didn't disappoint. It definitely has the potential to be the next big series in the young adult category, much like The Hunger Games, but I'll have to wait until the rest of the series comes out and I get to read them all! I loved how this took a more realistic approach--it was a very believable storyline, which I always enjoy. For a sixteen year old, Jade is a very strong female characters and I think she's someone a lot of girls will look up to. Can't wait to see what the rest of this series has in store!

Aug 13, 2015 CA Walsh rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’m quite a fan of well-written YA paranormal novels, and this is one of the best I’ve read this year! The author did an awesome job of transporting me to this mysterious world, as seen through the eyes of the main heroine Jade. The hardest thing to do in YA lit is getting the voice of the young characters right, and this author did a phenomenal job of it. I really felt like I was reading about a real, living and breathing 16-year old. The book is also full of actions and twists, layered with gr I’m quite a fan of well-written YA paranormal novels, and this is one of the best I’ve read this year! The author did an awesome job of transporting me to this mysterious world, as seen through the eyes of the main heroine Jade. The hardest thing to do in YA lit is getting the voice of the young characters right, and this author did a phenomenal job of it. I really felt like I was reading about a real, living and breathing 16-year old. The book is also full of actions and twists, layered with great and vivid descriptions and dialogue. A must read for YA fans!