Review A Red-Tainted Silence by Carolyn Gray

IF YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TO READ THIS BOOK, STOP! PICK IT UP IMMEDIATELY!!!!!

So I've looked at this book several times since it was published. Looked but never bought, I thought it sounded good but for some reason resisted. Then the lovelies over on The Manhole forum at The Phade started talking about it, I read a few comments and reviews and thought I'd give it a whirl. I bought it and loaded it onto my trusty Sony ereader and there it sat, and sat, and sat. What a mistake that was! I was looking for something to read one day while waiting in the drive thru line and saw this one and thought I'd give it a whirl. I began to read, got honked at, pulled into the parking lot at work and started reading again, got scared to death when one of the girls knocked on the window to tell me to hurry up or be late. Thought about what I had read while at work. Got home, stayed up too late reading, then got up and finished the book.
A Red-Tainted Silence is a masterpiece of conflicting psyches. This book has so much going for it that I find myself at a loss as to what to really say. Brandon and Nicholas are both such strong, complex characters that they are almost overwhelming. The plot is filled with moments that had me crying and gritting my teeth, praying that things would come to fruition with an ending that I could bear. I've read a few comments that say that Nicholas was their favorite character but for me it was Brandon. Why? Nicholas was a wonderful character, charismatic as he was written to be. But Brandon was so tortured, so loyal, so determined to see this bright and shining man he loved happy that he sacrifices all of himself just to see this happen. Sure he had problems, that was the point. His view of the world was skewed, this was readily apparent from the first moment that he sees Nicholas. The amount he suffered and obsessed over a Nicholas that he hadn't even met was the beginning of what would shape their relationship. Ms. Gray used the plot device of Brandon trying to show Nicholas how he felt about him through a memoir of sorts and this really allowed the reader inside his mind. So much so that it was a bit of a jolt when Nicholas took over in the second half to of the story. We still get bits and pieces from Brandon but colored through Nicholas' reading of the journal, his viewpoint of some of the event added a contrast and showed how different the two men saw things. This story is filled with angst, lots of angst, and several violent acts of a sexual nature. So don't pick this book up if you are expecting a light, fluffy read. But if you are looking for a story with wonderful characters that you will be thinking about for days, a plot line that will keep your heart pounding and tears in your eyes and joy in your heart then you have to read A Red-Tainted Silence. You won't regret it. Buy your copy here !