Guest Review: Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Today, I have my good friend Arlene sharing her thoughts on Raw Blue.

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Published by: Penguin Books Australia

Publication date: June, 2009

Carly has dropped out of uni to spend her days surfing and her nights working as a cook in a Manly café. Surfing is the one thing she loves doing ... and the only thing that helps her stop thinking about what happened two years ago. Then she meets Ryan and Carly has to decide ... Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy?

Guest Review by Arlene:

You just have to see those times for what they are: a chance to look down at your life. And when you do, you see it’s a skin made up of shiny little moments.

~whimpers~
Noooooooooo!!!!! Just one more chapter please!
I mean, I can imagine how that conversation went, or I can hope it went a certain way, but I can’t think it better than Kirsty Eagar can pen it. Absolutely beautiful!

I’ve said this so many times before… Aussie writers have this gift. It’s a magical ability to catapult you into a fictional moment that feels so damn real and full of raw emotion that you can’t help but fully connect and when it’s over you feel like you fell on your ass because there’s no more pages left for you to grab onto. It’s like a tight embrace that makes you feel there… in the moment… and when it’s done and releases you, all you feel is the space around you and nothing comes close to that moment when you were in the story. Truly in the story. That my friends is what Raw Blue accomplished.

Absolutely everything about Raw Blue felt so real to me. Maybe because of the setting and how familiar I am with the feel of the sand between my toes, or a wet towel wrapped around me long after I’ve left the beach, the sound of waves crashing, the smell of sunscreen and not wanting it too close to your eyes or stuck on your hands, the taste of the salty water when a wave playfully takes you down. It’s been a part of me my whole life and this book connected with me in a way that felt true and vivid. Kirsty Eagar has what it takes to guide you into that fictional space that commands your attention and your heart. Captivating and emotional!

Carly is a character so carefully flawed to perfection that I couldn’t help but completely fall for her. Everything she went through, every emotion she struggled with, her moments of desperation, and her times of brief happiness. I can’t remember the last time a character made my heart bleed with paper cut precision. Ryan, sweet lord! Rhino! Can someone just tell me he’s real? He’s actually somewhere out there. What an awesome guy! His last voice message, yup, I’m memorizing it. It was a thing of beauty. But, not just the two main characters, Eagar makes me want to believe all of these characters are real and I actually worry about them long after closing the book. Will Marty be okay? Is Kylie going to make it through? What’s going to happen to Danny next? Shane? Roger? All of them are broken somehow and you just want to make sure they’ll be alright.

So if you get the chance to pick up an Australian book, Raw Blue is a perfect example of their greatness. This book is filled with emotional moments, happy events and wish-they-were-real characters. It will stay in my thoughts for a long time and I can see myself reading it over and over again. I absolutely loved it!

Favorite Quotes
8 is just an infinity symbol the right way up.

I have two friends here: a fifteen year old who sees people in colours and a salsa-mad Dutch woman. I didn’t pick them, they just turned up in my life, and I’m really glad. I think this and I’m suddenly struck down with gratitude for all the things this place has given me. The break, the ever-changing moods of the ocean and the best surfs I’ve ever had. Tonight my world is a bubble. Clear, round, perfect and fragile.

“I’ve worked out a tattoo – if I had one” says Ryan. I look at what he’s done. He’s got the outline of my hand over his heart and in it he’s written, Her...

Ryan's last voice message...

Final note Okay, so here’s the deal. If I were offered the choice between free access to U.S. bestsellers for the rest of my life or 10 Aussie books… the choice is pretty clear… hands down. There’s just some things an avid reader can’t live without and that’s fictional greatness, and Aussie writers have what it takes to deliver that. It’s become my favorite writing style and I feel it should be its own genre. Actually, hold on a minute… I’ve made it so. It’s officially a separate genre because hell yeah the writing stands apart and there so denying it. Try one. You won’t regret it… 

Thank you Arlene for letting me post your gorgeous review (hugs).

You can check out my thoughts on Raw Blue here.

Don't forget to stop by the other blogs on the schedule and enter GIVEAWAY for a signed copy of Raw Blue (international).

My Book Boyfriend - Revisiting Ryan

My Book Boyfriend is by the awesome blogger Missie at The Unread Reader.   What is My Book Boyfriend you might ask.  Well it is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out Missie blog The Unread Reader. 

This week I am revisiting one of my favourite book boyfriends Ryan from Raw Blue as part of Kirsty Eagar Week.  You can check out my original post here.  What I love about Ryan (also known as Rhino) is that he doesn't give up on Carly no matter.  He is a genuine good guy who has had made mistakes but at least he learnt from them.  So here is one of my favourite passages from Raw Blue with Ryan.

'No, I mean there's bad things that don't matter and there're some things that really matter.'

His eyebrows twitch.  'You're a weird fish, you know that?'

'I'm not a fish.'

'Dunno about that, you spend a lot of time in the water.'

I start laughing but it turns into a sob.  And just like that I start to unpeel.  It's caught me by surprise.

Straightaway, Ryan's looking at me and there's nowhere to hide.  'What's up?'

'Nothing.  I'm sorry.  This is embarrassing.  I'm going.'

'No need to go.  You cry if you want.  Doesn't bother me.'

After a bit, I say, 'It's just hard.'

'Crying?'

I laugh, then sniff. 'No, this.  I'm not very good with people.  And I don't know you.'

'Yeah, you mentioned that.  Isn't that what we're doing now?  Letting you get to know me?

'Yeah, but....'

'We're not getting married mate.'

I swallow,  When I'm sure I'll be able to keep my voice steady, I say, 'Don't make me feel like an idiot.  Every time I talk to you I come off feeling like an idiot.  I mean you must think I 'm insane.  And I'm not - not normally.  I'm just this tired and I don't know -'
'Shh.'
His eyes are looking all the way into me.  Fora  moment we stare at each other then he looks back at the ocean and I watch the two boys making turtlebacks.  I don't make any noise but the tears are streaming down my face.  I can sense Ryan occasionally looking sideways to check on me.  Something about the two boys reminds of me Danny.  The look so innocent, so happy and free.  Then my crying turns into sobs, which is really crossing the line, I have to say.  It's just so ridiculous. I'm in the middle of a crowd on Dee Why Point, watching the biggest surf Sydney's seen for years with a guy I shouldn't be anywhere near, having some sort of breakdown.
I bury my face in my hands.  And then Ryan does such a nice thing.  He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me against him.  I can feel his body heat through his cotton T-shirt, and directly in front of me are the worn, faded knees of his jeans.  But most of all I can smell him.  And he smells sandy-warm, like a beach.   No one can see my face in there protected by his chest.  Which is good because I can't stop crying.  I mean, I'm really going for the world record in terms of an inappropriate public breakdown.  But it doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter.  I'm sheltered.

What do you think of Ryan?

Have you read Raw Blue?  If not, don't forget to enter to win a signed copy.  Open internationally.  Also make sure you visit the other blogs on the schedule for more chances to win.

Thanks to Missie for hosting this meme.  And no Missie Ryan is not yours ;) 

Guest Post by Kirsty Eagar - Night Beach

I am so thrilled to have Kirsty Eagar stopping by my blog today!  Today Kirsty is talking about her upcoming novel Night Beach which is set to be published in February, 2012.  There is no synopsis for it yet so I am excited that Kirsty was able to share some details with us.

Night Beach – the story

Hey, thank you for having me guys! So, Night Beach … Probably the first thing I should say is that it’s not published in Australia until February next year, and I’m currently in the middle of the edits. What that means is that there is no nice, neat blurb for it as yet. Today is the literary equivalent of me showing you around an unfinished house!

The story is about a girl called Abbie Young. She’s seventeen, and in so many ways, she’s in-between:

Staring at the carnival from a distance. Not sure if I want to go forward and become an adult; liking the candy too much to turn back. Drinking and cars and Kane and freedom. All those glittering lights.

Abbie has grown up surfing at Walls, a break renowned for its graffiti-covered sea wall and aggressive locals. For Abbie, the ocean is a refuge, providing her with a sense of ‘home’, something otherwise lost to her in the wake of her parents’ acrimonious divorce. Since the divorce, Abbie feels like she’s also ‘split’, playing different roles according to each parent’s expectations. But at the beach, she’s in touch with a wilder, truer self.

Abbie has two obsessions. The first is art. Now in her final year of high school, she’s hard at work on an assessment piece that explores ‘beyond the sea’. But the phrase begins to take on supernatural connotations as she becomes aware of the disturbing changes in her step-cousin Kane – her second obsession.

If you didn’t know Kane, you wouldn’t call him hot. He’s got the surfer body, a top heavy V on short powerful legs, and it’s wrapped in a good tan, but he’s also got thick blond hair on his chest and forearms and legs. It marks him, makes him more masculine than surfing’s poster boys …

What Kane’s got, though, is an intensity – compressed ambition. He’s always had it and it makes people notice him. Today, it seems to be stronger and not so controlled, like he’s changed to a higher octane fuel and isn’t sure how to handle the power.

Kane has recently returned from a surf trip overseas, during which he and his friends disregarded the locals’ wishes and stayed overnight on a forbidden island. Kane won’t say what happened on the trip, he refuses to explain the strange wounds on his back, and his increasingly violent behaviour soon sets him on a collision course with an alpha male from the surf break.

What’s more frightening to Abbie, though, is the darkness she senses shadowing Kane. A darkness that seems to be affecting her. As Abbie’s reality begins to warp, she finds herself sucked into the Beyond, a place with links to her own subconscious. A place with its own rules, rules that mean she might not make it back. The first rule being that what the sea wants, the sea shall have …


WOW.  I think after reading that I need Night Beach right now!  It sounds amazing.  Thank you Kirsty for stopping by.


Don't forget to stop by The Unread Reader today for Saltwater Vampires Review and Signed Giveaway, Books for Bleh to Basically Amazing for a Raw Blue Review and Bibliophile Brouhaha for Saltwater Vampires Review and Giveaway.

Kirsty Eagar Week Begins & Signed Raw Blue Giveaway!!!

Welcome to Kirsty Eagar Week!  

As you might know Kirsty Eagar is one of my all time favourite authors.  I still remember reading her debut book Raw Blue for the first time in October last year.  It was a story that slowly sneaked in my heart and hasn't left and never will.  Raw Blue is a regular re-read of mine as I love revisiting the amazing bunch of characters especially Carly.  Her story still has the same emotional impact on me no matter how many time I read it.  Then you have Saltwater Vampires another beautifully written tale that is dark and entertaining. 

I really want to celebrate this amazingly talented Aussie author and spread the word on how awesome Raw Blue and Saltwater Vampires both are.   And also give readers a chance to win a copy of both books as I know they are hard to come by internationally. (Note:  they are available through fishpondworld.com internationally with free shipping)

My co-host is Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha.  Make sure you stop by her blog this week as well as the other blogs listed on the schedule.   There is loads of giveaways and exciting posts.

Here is the schedule for this week.

Mon 29th

- Introduction post here at Irresistible Reads and signed Raw Blue giveaway (International)

- Case for Carly post at Bibliophile Brouhaha plus signed Raw Blue giveaway (US/Can)

- Raw Blue review at Buried in Books

Tues 30th

- Review for Saltwater Vampires at The Unread Reader and a signed Saltwater Vampires giveaway (US/Can)

- Guest post by Kirsty Eagar about Night Beach here at Irresistible Reads

- Review of Raw Blue at Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing

 -Review for Saltwater Vampires at Bibliophile Brouhaha and Saltwater Vampires giveaway (US/Can)

Wed 31st

- Review for Raw Blue at Fiction Folio

- Collections of thoughts on Raw Blue at Inkcrush plus signed copy of Raw Blue giveaway (international)

- Guest post by Kirsty Eagar at I Swim For Oceans plus signed copy of Raw Blue giveaway (US/Can)

- Revisiting a favourite Book Boyfriend, Ryan, here at Irresistible Reads

Thur 1st

- Post on Older YA at Steph Su Reads

- Saltwater Vampires cover post at Supernatural Snark plus signed giveaway of Saltwater Vampires (US/Can)

- Review for Saltwater Vampires here at Irresistible Reads

Fri 2nd

- Guest Review for Raw Blue here at Irresistible Reads

- Other Older YA Aussie titles recommendations at Inkcrush

- Guest post by Kirsty Eagar at Bibliophile Brouhaha

Giveaway:

I am giving one lucky reader the chance to win a signed copy of Raw Blue.  All you have to do to enter is fill out this FORM.  There are plenty of ways to gain extra entries to increase your chances.  Good luck to everyone.

Rules of entry:

- Open INTERNATIONALLY

- Must be a follower to enter

- Giveaway closes on midnight Sunday 4th September (AUS time).

- Winner will be chosen by random.org in accordance with my giveaway policy.

I would like to say a big thank you to Linds for hosting this event with me, Missie and Melissa for making the buttons and all the other fantastic bloggers who are participating this week.

Buttons

Kirsty Eagar Week: Get Ready!

As you all know I love spreading the word about awesome Aussie young adult authors.  Kirsty Eagar author of Raw Blue and Saltwater Vampires would have to be one of my absolute favourites.   Kirsty's books are intensely readable, honest and beautiful.   

My co-host for this event is Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha and if you know Linds you would know that she is Raw Blue biggest fan.  Linds personal quest is to see that Raw Blue gets published in the US. 

So together with some help from our favourite bloggers we are celebrating Kirsty's amazing books book by holding a Kirsty Eagar Appreciation Week.

Kirsty Eagar Appreciation Week details:-

When: 29th August to 4th September

Where: Irresistible Reads and Bibliophile Brouhaha

Also posts at: Inkcrush, The Unread Reader, Supernatural Snark, I Swim For Oceans and more.

What:  Reviews, guest posts from Kirsty Eagar including info on her upcoming novel Night Beach, amazing GIVEAWAYS and more.

 If you have any questions or ideas please feel free to contact me at irresistiblereads(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Kirsty Eagar Week Buttons:  Please help us spread the word!

Buttons are thanks to Missie at The Unread Reader and Melissa at I Swim For Oceans.

 

We hope you will join us!