Danger lurks behind every color.

When Ava Locke was five years old, she began a journey to join the Benefactors—the leaders of the magical continent of Magus. Twelve years later, she unwittingly started down the road to betray them.

On Magus where colors fuel magical abilities, yellow is banned in an effort to protect people from its mind-controlling capabilities. When a rogue Yellow magic-user named Elm escapes imprisonment Ava becomes innocently fascinated with his story. Once this mysterious Elm shows up at her school, Ava pushes her interest to the next level by helping him evade the Benefactors. Ava grows increasingly conflicted as her intrigue leads her down a dark road of secrets about her world. As she learns more about Yellow magic’s potential to control its victims, Ava now must question whether her rash decisions are all her own or if someone else is pulling the strings.

Book 1 of the Color Theory series.

Ava Locke’s greatest desire is to be a Benefactor helping protect Magus. In this land, primary colors power magic and Benefactors protect the world from users of dangerous shades, such as Yellow. She is months from graduating and fulfilling her dreams when her carefully colored world is doused in new colors. What if the world isn’t as simple as red, blue, and yellow? What if the world is a rainbow? Ashley Bustamante’s Vivid paints a world built on secrets and carefully controlled color palettes. Are certain colors and powers inherently good as others are evil, or is the world a vibrant riot to be enjoyed? Ava is forced to look carefully at each color as she works through the consequences of each pigment’s power.

Best for: Lovers of light magical fantasy that explores friendship, romance, and trust.

Discern: Several instances of emotional manipulation and gaslighting.