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oldmanv's review
5.0
An amazing book with the sights and sounds of Sydney beaches described vividly. Great characters help draw you into the story.
saskiac's review
5.0
*** Trigger warning: sexual abuse
Raw Blue had me enticed from the beginning. I liked reading a different dialect, it made the reading process more enjoyable and quirky simply because it's different to the dialect in the books I usually read. It just felt so Australian? and I love it.
I like Carly as a main character. She was sexually abused two years ago and Kirsty, the author, sheds light onto how some people who have experienced this feel, not how the media think they feel but how the person actually does feel. We see Carly survive in this book and meet people who give her something. She has just dropped out of uni - I don't feel like we ever really know the specific reason, but from what I can gather it just wasn't for her? Maybe the course and the people she was surrounded by and the place she was in mentally. She's lonely and spends all her free time surfing but you can tell it's not enough to sustain her, but then she meets Danny, a 15-year-old with synesthesia, while out surfing. Their back and forth rapport is entertaining and encapsulates friendship.
Ryan. He was a refreshing character and we meet him because of his shared love of surfing with Carly. I like how chilled he was in regards to doing whatever Carly wanted to do. Just wanting to be around her was good enough for him and I think their short relationship, though from the last page I think we can assume they end up back together, was, I don't know, cute? (I suck with words, sorry).
It was an adult relationship, Ryan = 26 and Carly = 19, there were no veiled descriptions of sex like in YA nor where they thoroughly detailed like in NA. It was a perfect slot between the two and the whole relationship felt very real.
Lastly just a tiny note, the vivid imagery of the lagoon, the water, made me feel like I was there.
It'd be a perfect night for smoking. The air is cold and still and the smoke clouds from a cigarette would hang around for a while like ghosts, before going straight up.
But just breathing is enough.
Raw Blue had me enticed from the beginning. I liked reading a different dialect, it made the reading process more enjoyable and quirky simply because it's different to the dialect in the books I usually read. It just felt so Australian? and I love it.
I like Carly as a main character. She was sexually abused two years ago and Kirsty, the author, sheds light onto how some people who have experienced this feel, not how the media think they feel but how the person actually does feel. We see Carly survive in this book and meet people who give her something. She has just dropped out of uni - I don't feel like we ever really know the specific reason, but from what I can gather it just wasn't for her? Maybe the course and the people she was surrounded by and the place she was in mentally. She's lonely and spends all her free time surfing but you can tell it's not enough to sustain her, but then she meets Danny, a 15-year-old with synesthesia, while out surfing. Their back and forth rapport is entertaining and encapsulates friendship.
Ryan. He was a refreshing character and we meet him because of his shared love of surfing with Carly. I like how chilled he was in regards to doing whatever Carly wanted to do. Just wanting to be around her was good enough for him and I think their short relationship, though from the last page I think we can assume they end up back together, was, I don't know, cute? (I suck with words, sorry).
It was an adult relationship, Ryan = 26 and Carly = 19, there were no veiled descriptions of sex like in YA nor where they thoroughly detailed like in NA. It was a perfect slot between the two and the whole relationship felt very real.
Lastly just a tiny note, the vivid imagery of the lagoon, the water, made me feel like I was there.
It'd be a perfect night for smoking. The air is cold and still and the smoke clouds from a cigarette would hang around for a while like ghosts, before going straight up.
But just breathing is enough.
valeriaprosperi's review
4.0
This is a weird review for me to write. Because I didn't like this book too much at first, but there was something about it. Then it got really good in my opinion; I got really into it, to the point that I ditched precious sleep to continue reading. And then slowed down and suddenly ended. Abruptly. So it was a low-high-low kind of book for me. Does that make sense? I don't think so.
This book started slow to me. Routine. Most of the first part of the book is Carly talking about the ocean and waves, which I liked but got bored of easily. I love the ocean, but all those technical description of surfing, it lost me for a minute or two. I had no idea what the things she said she was doing were. But then new characters came in, like Danny, which I loved. And Ryan, too. Hannah as well. Good people, supportive, attentive, people who know how to give space.
This is the thing that kept me reading: a feeling about Carly. I knew she was down, that something had happened. I could feel it in the way she behaved and spoke. And then Danny and Hannah and Ryan were introduced and I got so, so hooked to know more. Their interactions were good, calm, steady and I loved them. But then towards the end it got kind of bumpy and ended too abruptly to me. I didn't get even the slightest of closure. Everything just hung.
But the story is a good one, about darkness and colors, demons, and fighting back.
This book started slow to me. Routine. Most of the first part of the book is Carly talking about the ocean and waves, which I liked but got bored of easily. I love the ocean, but all those technical description of surfing, it lost me for a minute or two. I had no idea what the things she said she was doing were. But then new characters came in, like Danny, which I loved. And Ryan, too. Hannah as well. Good people, supportive, attentive, people who know how to give space.
This is the thing that kept me reading: a feeling about Carly. I knew she was down, that something had happened. I could feel it in the way she behaved and spoke. And then Danny and Hannah and Ryan were introduced and I got so, so hooked to know more. Their interactions were good, calm, steady and I loved them. But then towards the end it got kind of bumpy and ended too abruptly to me. I didn't get even the slightest of closure. Everything just hung.
But the story is a good one, about darkness and colors, demons, and fighting back.
inconceivably's review
4.0
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar is the kind of book you read and immediately want everyone else in the world to know about. I think "raw" really is one of the best ways to describe the book, great title choice. It doesn't take long for you to feel attached to Carly, the main character. Kirsty Eagar doesn't pull any punches, she makes it very easy to see the world through Carly's - very emotionally damaged - eyes. I'm telling you, ALL of you, this is one of those books you just have to read!
It is my favorite kind of young adult novel: the characters are old enough to be out of high school but young enough not to have their lives together. Carly definitely doesn't have it together - she buries herself behind a wall of OCD and surfing to hide from the fact that she was raped. As the book progresses, we see her interactions at work (as a chef-sort-of) and on the waves. As her hard-won mask starts to crack, she finally lets a few people into her life. I am being deliberately vague about the plot because I want everyone to read this book, and I want you all to have fresh eyes for the experience.
As far as the many surfing runs and related lingo goes, I was fascinated by it. Kirsty Eagar left it pretty basic and easy to follow. I mean, I'm from Oklahoma y'all. What I know about surfing could balance on the head of a needle, but I was able to easily keep up with it and understand. I really enjoyed all of Carly's interactions both with the waves and other surfers. Those scenes highlighted her awkwardness and not-so-well-buried-anxiety very well.
Carly really is a very complex character. She isn't the kind of character readers normally fall for - she makes a lot of mistakes and has a lot of issues. But at the same time, you can see almost from the first page that there are two sides to her personality. And let me tell you now, you will read this book holding your breath - just hoping - to see a glimpse of the actual Carly. I really feel like she is one of the best written characters I've come across.
Ryan is a brilliant character also - I'm purposely ignoring him for the purposes of this review. He is one of the best surprises of the book and I don't want to spoil it for you by talking about him too much! Same goes for Danny. (Don't worry! No love triangle. Danny is like an honorary little brother.)
I also loved the writing - it was very off-beat and quirky. The descriptions especially: very charming and unique.
"My happiness is crunchy. Snapping, crackling and popping in the sun."
*****
"The moon is weird tonight. A yellow devil with a knowing face and hard triumphant eyes. The top of his head is cropped off diagonally, as though he's wearing an invisible hat on a jaunty angle. Usually when I see the moon I feel like I've been blessed, but not tonight. The moon is telling me to watch my feet."
So, hopefully I've convinced you by now that you have got to pick up a copy of this book! It isn't actually available in the United States except as an ebook. I promise you guys, it is worth the little bit of extra trouble to track down. Really great and original book. It'll be standing out in my memory for a long time.
It is my favorite kind of young adult novel: the characters are old enough to be out of high school but young enough not to have their lives together. Carly definitely doesn't have it together - she buries herself behind a wall of OCD and surfing to hide from the fact that she was raped. As the book progresses, we see her interactions at work (as a chef-sort-of) and on the waves. As her hard-won mask starts to crack, she finally lets a few people into her life. I am being deliberately vague about the plot because I want everyone to read this book, and I want you all to have fresh eyes for the experience.
As far as the many surfing runs and related lingo goes, I was fascinated by it. Kirsty Eagar left it pretty basic and easy to follow. I mean, I'm from Oklahoma y'all. What I know about surfing could balance on the head of a needle, but I was able to easily keep up with it and understand. I really enjoyed all of Carly's interactions both with the waves and other surfers. Those scenes highlighted her awkwardness and not-so-well-buried-anxiety very well.
Carly really is a very complex character. She isn't the kind of character readers normally fall for - she makes a lot of mistakes and has a lot of issues. But at the same time, you can see almost from the first page that there are two sides to her personality. And let me tell you now, you will read this book holding your breath - just hoping - to see a glimpse of the actual Carly. I really feel like she is one of the best written characters I've come across.
Ryan is a brilliant character also - I'm purposely ignoring him for the purposes of this review. He is one of the best surprises of the book and I don't want to spoil it for you by talking about him too much! Same goes for Danny. (Don't worry! No love triangle. Danny is like an honorary little brother.)
I also loved the writing - it was very off-beat and quirky. The descriptions especially: very charming and unique.
"My happiness is crunchy. Snapping, crackling and popping in the sun."
*****
"The moon is weird tonight. A yellow devil with a knowing face and hard triumphant eyes. The top of his head is cropped off diagonally, as though he's wearing an invisible hat on a jaunty angle. Usually when I see the moon I feel like I've been blessed, but not tonight. The moon is telling me to watch my feet."
So, hopefully I've convinced you by now that you have got to pick up a copy of this book! It isn't actually available in the United States except as an ebook. I promise you guys, it is worth the little bit of extra trouble to track down. Really great and original book. It'll be standing out in my memory for a long time.
pantsyreads's review
5.0
(Original review posted on my livejournal account: http://intoyourlungs.livejournal.com/31326.html)
Why I Read It: In the YA sphere, Australian YA has been picking up a lot of steam. And somehow, despite not even being available in the US, this book in particular has been getting a lot of attention (despite being published two years earlier.) I know some awesome Australian bloggers were mailing out their copies to other bloggers and having them "tour" in a manner of speaking, which definitely got some word out. Either way, this book kept cropping up everywhere and getting very favourable reviews, so I was curious. While physical copies are not available in North America, you CAN buy an e-book version from Kobo, which I did and read while I was on vacation.
I don't understand copyright issues and all that jazz, but this book SERIOUSLY needs to be brought to North American shores. I think it was one of the best books I read in 2011.
The story follows Carly, an avid and passionate surfer. Having dropped out of university and kicked out of her home, she lives on her own and surfs by day and works as a cook by night. The reason Carly surfs so much isn't completely clear in the beginning (though you'll know what it is if you've read any reviews for the book) but it quickly becomes apparent that she's a rape victim, and it wasn't pretty. At all. The surfing is to help her forget, or at least a distraction.
I think one of the greatest strengths of this novel is in how subtle it is. Really, the narrative is pushed forward by Carly's daily activities which are essentially just surfing and working, surfing and working, etc. You'd think that would make for a slow and boring book but it really doesn't, because over the course of Carly's routine, she slowly starts to let people trickle into her life despite constantly trying to push people away. It's these interactions that slowly change Carly, and that's what makes this story so compelling -- watching Carly transform and start on the path of healing, even while she doesn't realize it's happening.
When reading reviews for this book I constantly came across reviewers praising the relationship between Carly and Ryan. Because of this, I thought this story was focused on them and their reluctant romantic relationship, but that's really not the case. Ryan is present from the beginning of the novel, but him and Carly don't actually get together until more than halfway through the novel. I really loved that because it allowed the reader to get to know Carly before she becomes embroiled in a relationship. But when their relationship does roll around? It's awesome. It's steamy, but heartfelt and touching at the same time. Also, I really felt for them, having to live far away from each other, having been in a long-distance relationship myself for the past two years.
I was really impressed with how well Eagar nailed the psychology of Carly's character. Writing about rape victims is something that's obviously not to be taken lightly, and it's apparent that Eagar did her research and wrote about it well. Reading about Carly's reaction right after IT happens was heartbreaking -- the shame, and how she felt she couldn't tell because it would justify all the things her father said about her -- which again, is an accurate psychological portrait. That's probably WHY it felt so heartbreaking; it wasn't contrived, and felt authentic, like it could (and it does) happen to other people.
And how can I not talk about the surfing? It's an integral part of the novel and I'm not sure if Eagar is a surfer herself, but regardless, she knows her stuff. There is surfing lingo abound here, and while I didn't understand half of it, I didn't care. When Carly's describing the waves I didn't understand half of that either, which made it hard to imagine scenes sometimes, but she talks about it with such passion and fervor that I felt myself being swept away anyway.
Final Judgment: This is a beautiful book and don't let the cover deceive you -- there's some very heavy stuff here that makes it hard to read about sometimes, but the pay off is really good. This is an amazing portrait of a young woman trying to get over something horrific, and watching Carly's healing process was touching and also very relieving -- by the end of the novel I felt like a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders, very much how I imagine Carly might've felt. There's a lot of surfing and surf lingo, but don't let that deter you. Even when I didn't understand half of it, I still loved reading about it as it was something that was important to Carly, and because I cared so much about Carly, I cared about her love of surfing. The romantic relationship in this novel is also really well done and felt as really and authentic as Carly, as we watch her and Ryan try to get over their own demons. I highly recommend this, though be aware that it's probably for the older spectrum of YA.
Why I Read It: In the YA sphere, Australian YA has been picking up a lot of steam. And somehow, despite not even being available in the US, this book in particular has been getting a lot of attention (despite being published two years earlier.) I know some awesome Australian bloggers were mailing out their copies to other bloggers and having them "tour" in a manner of speaking, which definitely got some word out. Either way, this book kept cropping up everywhere and getting very favourable reviews, so I was curious. While physical copies are not available in North America, you CAN buy an e-book version from Kobo, which I did and read while I was on vacation.
I don't understand copyright issues and all that jazz, but this book SERIOUSLY needs to be brought to North American shores. I think it was one of the best books I read in 2011.
The story follows Carly, an avid and passionate surfer. Having dropped out of university and kicked out of her home, she lives on her own and surfs by day and works as a cook by night. The reason Carly surfs so much isn't completely clear in the beginning (though you'll know what it is if you've read any reviews for the book) but it quickly becomes apparent that she's a rape victim, and it wasn't pretty. At all. The surfing is to help her forget, or at least a distraction.
I think one of the greatest strengths of this novel is in how subtle it is. Really, the narrative is pushed forward by Carly's daily activities which are essentially just surfing and working, surfing and working, etc. You'd think that would make for a slow and boring book but it really doesn't, because over the course of Carly's routine, she slowly starts to let people trickle into her life despite constantly trying to push people away. It's these interactions that slowly change Carly, and that's what makes this story so compelling -- watching Carly transform and start on the path of healing, even while she doesn't realize it's happening.
When reading reviews for this book I constantly came across reviewers praising the relationship between Carly and Ryan. Because of this, I thought this story was focused on them and their reluctant romantic relationship, but that's really not the case. Ryan is present from the beginning of the novel, but him and Carly don't actually get together until more than halfway through the novel. I really loved that because it allowed the reader to get to know Carly before she becomes embroiled in a relationship. But when their relationship does roll around? It's awesome. It's steamy, but heartfelt and touching at the same time. Also, I really felt for them, having to live far away from each other, having been in a long-distance relationship myself for the past two years.
I was really impressed with how well Eagar nailed the psychology of Carly's character. Writing about rape victims is something that's obviously not to be taken lightly, and it's apparent that Eagar did her research and wrote about it well. Reading about Carly's reaction right after IT happens was heartbreaking -- the shame, and how she felt she couldn't tell because it would justify all the things her father said about her -- which again, is an accurate psychological portrait. That's probably WHY it felt so heartbreaking; it wasn't contrived, and felt authentic, like it could (and it does) happen to other people.
And how can I not talk about the surfing? It's an integral part of the novel and I'm not sure if Eagar is a surfer herself, but regardless, she knows her stuff. There is surfing lingo abound here, and while I didn't understand half of it, I didn't care. When Carly's describing the waves I didn't understand half of that either, which made it hard to imagine scenes sometimes, but she talks about it with such passion and fervor that I felt myself being swept away anyway.
Final Judgment: This is a beautiful book and don't let the cover deceive you -- there's some very heavy stuff here that makes it hard to read about sometimes, but the pay off is really good. This is an amazing portrait of a young woman trying to get over something horrific, and watching Carly's healing process was touching and also very relieving -- by the end of the novel I felt like a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders, very much how I imagine Carly might've felt. There's a lot of surfing and surf lingo, but don't let that deter you. Even when I didn't understand half of it, I still loved reading about it as it was something that was important to Carly, and because I cared so much about Carly, I cared about her love of surfing. The romantic relationship in this novel is also really well done and felt as really and authentic as Carly, as we watch her and Ryan try to get over their own demons. I highly recommend this, though be aware that it's probably for the older spectrum of YA.
baancs's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
It's like hearing a song for the first time and being struck by it, haunted by it, wanting to hunt it down and catch it, because the song sums up something you didn't know you wanted to say, giving you chills and goose bumps. But even as you find out what it's called, and you're thinking you'll download it, you've already lost. Because the feeling was right then and there and it's already fading like a dream.
erikfazekas's review
4.0
Nečakane úžasné čítanie:) Mam sto chuti vratit sa na zaciatok a znova citat...
pauh94's review
5.0
Raw Blue was impressive, I hadn't read such a good book since Thirteen Reasons why by Jay Asher [b:Thirteen Reasons Why|1217100|Thirteen Reasons Why|Jay Asher|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333822506s/1217100.jpg|2588213]
Sincerely, it took me some chapters to connect with Carly, she had stuff going on for her that I didn't understand at first but then I did and it all changed, I started identifying with Carly; there were moments that I would say "but I do that, too, I think that, too!" and I scared me and it fascinated me to feel that way and I love books that make me feel stuff, Raw Blue left me feeling raw and exposed, like whatever sadness Carly was going through or whatever feeling, I was feeling that too.
Sometimes I didn't understand her rash behavior, but I felt that it was because I had not gone through what Carly had so I wouldn't understand, and that felt real.
Danny was... There are no better words to describe him than "Precious" like Carly herself calls him. He was my favorite character and he was perfect.
Ryan (the love interest) was the perfect balance for Carly, I don't want to spoil anything but he was what Carly wasn't and Carly was what he needed. I felt that Carly made him feel like he had to be better and he made Carly feel like she WAS good enough, she was better than good enough.
I liked how Eagar treated the rape issue, I felt like she showed how you shouldn't feel because it is in no way your fault and in no way you should feel ashamed, with Carly she showed how a victim of rape might feel and how damaged it leaves you but only if you let it.
Overall, it was a great book maybe the beginning troubled me because I could not connect with Carly and the end felt just a little bit rushed, but it was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who feels like reading a deep book that leaves you thinking...
Sincerely, it took me some chapters to connect with Carly, she had stuff going on for her that I didn't understand at first but then I did and it all changed, I started identifying with Carly; there were moments that I would say "but I do that, too, I think that, too!" and I scared me and it fascinated me to feel that way and I love books that make me feel stuff, Raw Blue left me feeling raw and exposed, like whatever sadness Carly was going through or whatever feeling, I was feeling that too.
Sometimes I didn't understand her rash behavior, but I felt that it was because I had not gone through what Carly had so I wouldn't understand, and that felt real.
Danny was... There are no better words to describe him than "Precious" like Carly herself calls him. He was my favorite character and he was perfect.
Ryan (the love interest) was the perfect balance for Carly, I don't want to spoil anything but he was what Carly wasn't and Carly was what he needed. I felt that Carly made him feel like he had to be better and he made Carly feel like she WAS good enough, she was better than good enough.
I liked how Eagar treated the rape issue, I felt like she showed how you shouldn't feel because it is in no way your fault and in no way you should feel ashamed, with Carly she showed how a victim of rape might feel and how damaged it leaves you but only if you let it.
Overall, it was a great book maybe the beginning troubled me because I could not connect with Carly and the end felt just a little bit rushed, but it was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who feels like reading a deep book that leaves you thinking...
audreych's review
5.0
full review can be found on my blog, holes In My brain
RAW BLUE was amazing. I’m not even sure to start off this review, but how about just saying that it is So. Australian. Which is just cruel because it makes me want to go to Australia SO BAD and watch hot boys surf. The diction and slang is so lovely and different, but it doesn’t end there. The descriptions of the waves and the breaks were exquisite and might I also add: the surf culture in this novel is excitingly awesome.
This novel is an example of a perfectly executed character-driven story. Carly is a rape survivor, there really isn’t a euphemism for that. She’s broken and fragile, and spends her days surfing and cooking and little else, scared of the world and hating people. Her narration easily drew me into her lonely world, yet the way she juxtaposed the darkness with the beauty of the waves kept me from sinking into despair. Her innate strength isn’t obvious at the beginning, but what I loved most was her subtle growth and development throughout the novel. It wasn’t boom-realization-instant-change, it was small things and small actions that built up, without you even realizing it. Carly’s characterization is the biggest strength of RAW BLUE, and I couldn’t help but fall completely in love with her.
Eagar manages to keep Carly’s voice raw and honest, which quite frankly is always preferable in my mind. The author doesn’t shelter us from Carly’s pain and emotional turmoil, but the feelings are also not overdone; everything is balanced. The writing in the novel is extremely strong as Eagar writes with a defined, confident, and haunting style.
And of course, how can I not talk about Ryan? This is a boy worthy of a thousand swoons, he has his moments yes, he’s kinda realistic. There isn’t an instant smouldering connection between him and Carly, but rather a simple curiosity that blossoms into something else. I adored the fact that Ryan wasn’t the most eloquent with words, yet when he says something like “how good is this” my heart just melts. *sigh* And he’s all mine ;-)
As Carly’s voice carries a raw energy, Eagar’s secondary characters bring colour and sparkle. Seriously, they are gorgeously well-rounded; from the d-bag Shane and the old crows at the break, to the quirky, Dutch, salsa-dancing roommate… Marty, Emilio, the crew at the Café…. and of course, Danny, the precious boy with synaesthesia (he relates things to colours) who was my third favourite character… Danny, you rock. I wish I could just squeeze him. I adored Carly’s endearing friendship with the younger boy.
RAW BLUE is on the mature side of the YA spectrum, but don’t let this fact stop you from giving it a go. It truly is a powerful and intensely beautiful story of a girl, set on the crystalline beaches of Australia.
a fully deserving 5/5 stars
RAW BLUE was amazing. I’m not even sure to start off this review, but how about just saying that it is So. Australian. Which is just cruel because it makes me want to go to Australia SO BAD and watch hot boys surf. The diction and slang is so lovely and different, but it doesn’t end there. The descriptions of the waves and the breaks were exquisite and might I also add: the surf culture in this novel is excitingly awesome.
This novel is an example of a perfectly executed character-driven story. Carly is a rape survivor, there really isn’t a euphemism for that. She’s broken and fragile, and spends her days surfing and cooking and little else, scared of the world and hating people. Her narration easily drew me into her lonely world, yet the way she juxtaposed the darkness with the beauty of the waves kept me from sinking into despair. Her innate strength isn’t obvious at the beginning, but what I loved most was her subtle growth and development throughout the novel. It wasn’t boom-realization-instant-change, it was small things and small actions that built up, without you even realizing it. Carly’s characterization is the biggest strength of RAW BLUE, and I couldn’t help but fall completely in love with her.
Eagar manages to keep Carly’s voice raw and honest, which quite frankly is always preferable in my mind. The author doesn’t shelter us from Carly’s pain and emotional turmoil, but the feelings are also not overdone; everything is balanced. The writing in the novel is extremely strong as Eagar writes with a defined, confident, and haunting style.
And of course, how can I not talk about Ryan? This is a boy worthy of a thousand swoons, he has his moments yes, he’s kinda realistic. There isn’t an instant smouldering connection between him and Carly, but rather a simple curiosity that blossoms into something else. I adored the fact that Ryan wasn’t the most eloquent with words, yet when he says something like “how good is this” my heart just melts. *sigh* And he’s all mine ;-)
As Carly’s voice carries a raw energy, Eagar’s secondary characters bring colour and sparkle. Seriously, they are gorgeously well-rounded; from the d-bag Shane and the old crows at the break, to the quirky, Dutch, salsa-dancing roommate… Marty, Emilio, the crew at the Café…. and of course, Danny, the precious boy with synaesthesia (he relates things to colours) who was my third favourite character… Danny, you rock. I wish I could just squeeze him. I adored Carly’s endearing friendship with the younger boy.
RAW BLUE is on the mature side of the YA spectrum, but don’t let this fact stop you from giving it a go. It truly is a powerful and intensely beautiful story of a girl, set on the crystalline beaches of Australia.
a fully deserving 5/5 stars
idontkaren's review
5.0
Books like this make me daydream about being a foreign rights acquisitions editor. It is so good -a total downer, so depressing. Loved it! Impossible to get any of her books in America, had to order this from abroad.