The Painter Series Review(s)

Hey guys!
So I discovered this awesome author (Melissa Turner Lee!) a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved her first book called The Earth Painter!   I never got a chance to talk about it on here, but that is about to change because I just read the sequel The Man Painter.  I was once again blown away with how good Melissa is as an author.  I usually do these blurbs at the end of my posts, but I want to give some back story on The Earth Painter before I dive right in. This book

The Earth Painter Blurb:
When a self-conscious young woman discovers the boy in drama class is actually the immortal who painted the world into being, she becomes the target of another painter who hates humanity.

The Earth Painter is a Young Adult Supernatural Romance set in the small mill town of Chesnee, SC. It revolves around Holly Scruggs, whose family has just moved back to Chesnee after her dad lost his job along with pretty much everything they owned. Her image conscious parents correct her to the point of brokenness until she meets Theo. He is the artist responsible for all the beauty of the land and he thinks Holly is beautiful too. Together they will fight against Fritz, the water painter who hates humans and is hiding a secret under the high school.


This book was fantastic, and I literally have not read anything like it before.  It was a beautiful story, and wonderfully well crafted.  Melissa brings us a whole new way to think about how the world we know today was created in that it is created by these immortals called the "painters."  Something else that should be well applauded in this story is her characters.  Holly is a character who is very easily liked and rooted for.  However, I thought where Melissa most outdid herself was with the painter Theo.  I have never been more frustrated with a character, not because he was impossible, but just because he isn't human and doesn't understand what emotions human's go through.  I thought that his cluelessness was done just perfectly, and didn't come off like he was too young or naive.  Also, the driving force of the novel, the plot was really good.  It all made sense, and the ending had my heart crying.  The Earth Painter is well worth the 99 cent price tag, and now you don't even have to wait for the sequel since it is out!

Now let me address The Man Painter.  Something happens in the last part of The Earth Painter that separates Holly and Theo.  But, when Holly sees paintings that look exactly like what Theo would paint, she investigates it and finds Theo.  But, he isn't necessarily the same being he once was.  The villain of the book is back again, and he wants something that Theo has.  But, it would mean the destruction of the world as we know it if he got what he wanted.

This book was great.  It was definitely more character driven and romance driven than The Earth Painter was which was fantastic.  It also was a great picture of what sacrificing love looks like, and calls into question what being human means.  Melissa Turner Lee, I can not say enough amazing things about this book.  It was so good, and where Holly and Theo end up is surprising, but a very nice touch.  I HIGHLY recommend this series to anybody looking for a straight up good story to read.  They are really that good.

OH, here's the pretty covers!