Review: True Colors (The Masks #1) by Melissa Pearl

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19367518-true-colors

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/True-Colors-Masks-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00IFF3XWY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

SYNOPSIS

Caitlyn Davis always cruised through life, not being the type to ruffle feathers or involve herself in high school drama. That is, until a chance encounter with a strange, homeless man changes everything. 

Suddenly, Caitlyn has the ability to see behind people's masks. She discovers that her life isn’t as simple as she imagined and high school is filled with secrets...some very sinister ones. 

Unable to ignore her new gift, Caitlyn embarks on a mission to learn why one of her friends suddenly appears terrified, but masks her fear with a bright, smiling veneer. Will Caitlyn's new ability lead her into hot water? Or is her new found vision a blessing that will expose her friends' true colors? 

Her quest will lead Caitlyn to lose friends, stand up for those in need, and even find love. 

At Palisades High School every face tells a story...

MY REVIEW

*I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.*

4.5 stars

True Colors was unlike any paranormal YA book I have ever read, although there wasn't a lot of paranormal aspects to it. Caitlyn is blessed by a homeless man with the gift of sight (as in she can see behind people's masks and what they are truly feeling) when she gives him some money for food. At first she is freaked out, understandably, and fights her gift. She finds out that the two people closest to her (her boyfriend, Chase and her best friend, Stella) aren't really the people she thought they were. I don't know if it was my age or what, but this was me when she had those revelations.



Stella was your stereotypical rich mean girl: selfish, self-centered, spoiled, snobby....wow that's a lot of s's. 



Chase was the typical douche bag out to get only one thing...

I found the parts where Caitlyn saw people's true feelings to be fascinating. At first she views her gift as a curse until her hot neighbor, Eric, helps her figure out how to put the masks back. Then while at a party, she accidentally picks up on one of her friend, Indie's, absolute terror and it appears that it is directed at Indie's boyfriend, Liam. Caitlyn is confused because Indie and Liam are the golden couple. Everyone wants what they have. Caitlyn decides that maybe her curse isn't so much of a curse after all and she decides to figure out what is going on with Indie and help her. 

Then the story turned kind of Veronica Mars-ish. I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, but it seems that every story these day has a bit of mystery to it. Although I did figure out what was going on pretty early on, I still enjoyed the journey as Caitlyn put all of the pieces together. 

I finished reading at about 11:30pm and sat for a good five minutes trying to decide if I wanted to start the next book. In the end, sleep won out, so I've got grand plans of curling up with book two and my sweet pup this afternoon. I can't wait to see what's next for Caitlyn!