Cover Image: Dark Blue Rising

Dark Blue Rising

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Member Reviews

I read a couple of chapters of this when trying to decide my next read but couldn't feel myself drawn to it so decided not to continue. The writing was nice I just didn't feel a pull sadly.

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5 Word Review: Family, belonging, power, secrets, responsibility.

When I saw that there was a new Teri Terry I did a bit of a scream and ran to tell Charlotte so she could request it too. Then I picked it for her TBR and she read it before me, so when I did finally manage to read it she was subjected to all of my thoughts and swears. There were a lot.

Dark Blue Rising is dark and twisting and just when you think you've got things figured out BAM CURVEBALL. It's a truly exhilarating read that had me longing for the seaside. It's fast paced and full of action, but I loved that there were also softer scenes of thoughts and feelings - emotions are definitely not set aside to maintain the pace.

I loved the settings in Dark Blue Rising. The contrast of Tabby's transient life and that of her new/old home was brilliant and I think it helped portray her confusion and alienation more. Then we have the school, which was a whole new layer of sinister.

This make you really think about the ethics of technological progression. It is one of my absolute favourite themes in Teri Terry's books, the way such issues and the darker side of them are explored. The fact that what happens in these books seems so real, that it could actually happen in a matter of years, makes it all the more sinister.

If you have read any Teri Terry books before, then know that there is a cat in this book. And if you've read her books before, especially the Slated or Contagion series, then you will know that cats mean something.

I loved that despite the dark themes and settings and happenings, Dark Blue Rising still has some hope in the story.

I utterly adored this book, and I can't wait for my pre-order to arrive so I can read it again and see that beautiful cover in person.

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This was a phenomenal read, and by far my favourite Teri Terry book so far. I am very definitely not okay and I need the sequel now please. I loved everything about this book. Teri's writing is as brilliant as always, the ocean setting stole my heart and the twists in this book knocked me sideways. It's going to be a LONG wait for book two

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Teri Terry's books are ever-popular in my school library with Yrs 7 & 8 and I think this new series will be a big hit. At first I thought that it might be a bit slow-going but the story builds subtly and frankly she could have just kept on writing for another 400 or so pages and I wouldn't have minded as I quickly 'lived' in the world that she created and loved being there. I can't wait for the next in the series!

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WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW UNDERWHELMING THIS WAS!!! I am so upset. I normally love Teri Terry's work but this was awful and I am shocked at how favourable its reviews have been.
The book started so strong; mystery, a fight, possible romance, etc. However, after Tabby moved home with her biological parents it all became incredibly monotonous and drawn out. Firstly Tabby seems to be the most incredibly dense protagonist. Secondly the repetition of actions (creepy dream, long for the sea, swim like some mermaid/dolphin hybrid, catastrophe) over and over, page after page became a real task.
The two stars I have given are for the books start and also its finish where it seemed there might be some more development of plot on the way.
If the section where Tabby lives with Simone and the swim school were condensed and edited heavily this could have been a really great text.
Fingers crossed this is Teri Terry's only dud.

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Thank you Netgalley, Teri Terry and Hachette Children's Group for the Advanced reader copy.

Dark Blue Rising is the first novel in a new speculative thriller trilogy: The Circle.

The main POV is Tabby who always moves around with her mother Cate and has been thought to never tell anyone about herself or she would be taken away. After a car accident where she ends up in the hospital, she is told that Cate is not her mother and that she was kidnapped 13 years ago. Before they are separated Cate tells her to be beware of the Circle.

CAWPILE Rating: 8.50 => 4 Stars

Characters: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Writing: 8.5
Plot: 8.5
Intrigue : 9
Logic: 7.5
Enjoyment: 9

This book read super fast. You follow Tabby from day to day and how she is coping with everything going on. In the first chapters, at the end, there would be a paragraph in italics. It was more whimsical and at first, it didn't connect with the rest of the text but this was answered and wrapped into the story to an extent in the second half of the novel.
The plot was intriguing and really sinister. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel.
This story does, however, feel like two different plotlines, but it will probably interweave more in the next couple of books.
Tabby was amazingly written. I completely understand her reactions by Her being raised by Cate and seeing her as her mother and suddenly her life is flipped upside down. Her feelings towards family, friends and herself were realistic.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I definitely encourage you to pick it up!!

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I loved the 'Slated' trilogy (I have yet to read the prequel!), so I was keen to read this new book from Terri Terry. I was hooked from the outset. In a similar twist to Slated we discover almost immediately, and at the same time as the narrator Tabby, that her life is not what she thought it was. She doesn't know who to trust. All she knows for sure is that she is happiest by/in the sea. Add a hefty dose of intrigue, (What is organisation known as The Circle?) and issues around climate change and the environment and you have a fast paced thrill of a ride that leaves you hoping that the next book in the series is not far away.

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5 Word Review: Family, belonging, power, secrets, responsibility.

When I saw that there was a new Teri Terry I did a bit of a scream and ran to tell Charlotte so she could request it too. Then I picked it for her TBR and she read it before me, so when I did finally manage to read it she was subjected to all of my thoughts and swears. There were a lot.

Dark Blue Rising is dark and twisting and just when you think you've got things figured out BAM CURVEBALL. It's a truly exhilarating read that had me longing for the seaside. It's fast paced and full of action, but I loved that there were also softer scenes of thoughts and feelings - emotions are definitely not set aside to maintain the pace.

I loved the settings in Dark Blue Rising. The contrast of Tabby's transient life and that of her new/old home was brilliant and I think it helped portray her confusion and alienation more. Then we have the school, which was a whole new layer of sinister.

This make you really think about the ethics of technological progression. It is one of my absolute favourite themes in Teri Terry's books, the way such issues and the darker side of them are explored. The fact that what happens in these books seems so real, that it could actually happen in a matter of years, makes it all the more sinister.

If you have read any Teri Terry books before, then know that there is a cat in this book. And if you've read her books before, especially the Slated or Contagion series, then you will know that cats mean something.

I loved that despite the dark themes and settings and happenings, Dark Blue Rising still has some hope in the story.

I utterly adored this book, and I can't wait for my pre-order to arrive so I can read it again and see that beautiful cover in person.

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Let me start by drawing your attention to Teri Terry's unnerving ability to predict the future.

In 2012, Terry's first trilogy, Slated, predicted the UK's departure from the European Union. In 2017, Terry's Dark Matter trilogy was published, and it was about... a global pandemic.

Now she's back, with Dark Blue Rising, a novel about the climate emergency and environmental terrorism.

The book is distinctly Terry in its style: immediate, first person, present-tense prose coupled with short chapters and a high velocity plot.

But our teenage protagonist, Tabby, doesn't have buckets of self-confidence, and the almost punk recklessness, of Kyla from Slated. Tabby is uncertain and naive, having lived a secluded life with Cate, void of school and teenage friends.

At the start of the book, Tabby's transient tech-free life quickly crumbles around her. She's confused, scared and more forced to question everything. Who's telling the truth? Who can be trusted? Where does Tabby belong?

It's a feature of Terry's writing - a main character that has to rely on gut instinct, and slowly chip away at the world until it starts making sense.

By extension, as the reader, I was left constantly questioning everything I read. Even when I thought I'd got in ahead of Tabby, in working something out, it would often turn out that I'd fallen straight for a red herring, or only seen the corner of a much bigger picture.

The book has got everything a proper near-future YA dystopian-esque novel should have:

Constant guessing, and an inability to relax? Check.

A cast of resilient, interesting teenagers? Check.

Creepy circle-related organisation? Check. I think...

The force of nature is a present and very vocal character in the book. How on earth Terry found that many descriptors for water, the sea and waves, I'll never know. But, this book feels very much like a warning: this planet will not be here forever. Not at this rate.

And could it have come at a better time? Greta Thunberg is one face in a (excuse the pun) sea of young people who are actively protesting, trying to get us to wake up to the existential crisis we are facing at the hands of climate change. Today's teenagers are politically and environmentally aware, and Dark Blue Rising reflects their passion and their concerns.

Terry avoids making broad sweeping statements about the environment, or making the book feel like a tortured attempt to "teach us all a lesson". Instead, for most of the novel, it is one of many pressing threats that Tabby is facing.

Terry also published a statement on her website in October, last year, to let her readers know that she would no longer be flying, unless absolutely essential. It's nice to see a writer actively taking steps to practice what their novels preach.

I can't spoil the ending, but Terry did study a Masters in the depiction of terrorism in young adult fiction. It's important to remember that Dark Blue Rising is the first in a trilogy, and Terry has a habit of upping the stakes in every book.

I'm looking forward to reading it again, in print, because I'm sure there'll be a lot that I've missed.

It's very hard to write a spoiler-free review, so I'll sign off pretty quickly. On the whole, I'd say Dark Blue Rising is an exciting start to what promises to be another excellent trilogy. Book 1 doesn't have the immediate mass death and gore of Contagion, but who could handle that at the moment anyway?

If you can bear to wait a few days for your copy to arrive in the post, I'd recommend supporting an independent bookshop AND bagging a signed copy here from Chiltern Bookshops.

Keep an eye out for a video of my interview with Teri, coming soon!

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I love Teri's work. The Dark Matter Trilogy is amazing; even though each book is part of the trilogy, they are all very different stories. I anticipate that the same will be true in this series, as this volume is mostly set up and laying groundwork for various mysteries and problems.

Speaking of mysteries! Wow. I have an idea what I think might be happening, possibly, but I could be miles off! Teri is always very inventive, and I won't be surprised if I completely change my mind within the first four minutes of reading the next book.

The more mundane parts of the story - Tabby getting to know her new (old) family - are really well handled. I never felt like it was rushed or inauthentic. The early part of the book seemed like a nice, gentle story about a girl rediscovering her family.

Of course, I read the blurb, so I knew what was coming, and things quickly got creepy. The gradual worsening of things was very well handled, and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next.

I'm really looking forward to reading the next two parts and finding out exactly what's been going on!

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What a ride!
This is an excellent tale of intrigue, darkness, deceit and drama which touches on many issues ranging from the surveillance state and the environment to identity, belonging and trust.

This is really unlike any books currently out there and I thoroughly recommend it. Well written, with twists, turns and adventure aplenty- I think Tabby is a girl we will want more of. Can’t wait to see how this journey continues.

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Wow, you think this book is about a dysfunctional family and it is, but it’s not. You think it's about a girl being reunited with her family and it is, but it’s not. By the time I finished this story I was on the floor, gasping for breath - it just keeps on whacking you with plot twists. You think you know what the story is going to be about and you have seen this all before, but you haven’t. At least, not like this....

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Dark Blue Rising is about Tabby a young adult who knows that her life is different to other teens because fundamentally she is different to other young adults and her home life is too. She doesn't go to school; she frequently moves from place to place with her mum Cate and there are family rules that must be followed.
But those aren’t the only difference she notices, her connection to the sea is intrinsic.

So Tabby’s going through all the usual teenage stuff, plus her family life is awkward and her attachment to the sea inexplicable

Tabby is one take on that point in time where you don't quite understand yourself and aren't getting any or the right answers from the adults in your life

What isn't too much of a spoiler is that Tabby was abducted as a baby. Finding that out and being returned to her birth parents are shocks to her system.

Who and what can she trust? Are her memories real

Naturally Tabby experiences Stockholm syndrome; she is conflicted about Cate and her past - the one she lived and the one she missed. Questioning all that Cate told her, Tabby is disturbed: trying to hold onto the past when the future is taking her elsewhere.

What stood out for me was the voice of Tabby. it really captured the essence of a teen where events are changing in her life and she has very little influence on the outcome. Her cluelessness sometimes irritated but not enough to negatively effect enjoyment of the book.

It's all very mysterious and as Tabby tries to settle into this new reality, trying to build a relationship with her mum and dad, and make friends she experiences dreams, visions and odd occurrences. There are mysteries which she is trying to get to the bottom of, events going on in the world which somehow she is connected to. And an enigmatic symbol which she keeps on getting glimpses of. Secrets will be revealed. Finally, there is always the sea which is a constant lure.

Dark Blue Rising showed the life of these teens quite well, depicting life, family, and relationships as imperfect, not ideal just real and a bit messy. In Tabby it laid bare the turmoil of an interrupted childhood, mysterious history, curious abilities, and an uncertain future.

I am left wanting to learn more about this odd world and its secrets.

3 Stars - Liked It

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This was a good read to pass an afternoon, especially in the last 25% of the story where things seemed to pick up in plot, making me tempted to carry on reading the series when the next book is released. This being said, I feel like the first part of the book did take a while to get into and was slightly slow at times. I know it focussed a lot on plot set up for the series which is appreciated, however this meant that it was a struggle to get through at times.

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I was on the edge of my seat for this whole book, Teri Terry has once again created a world that you can fully immerse yourself in.

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Dark Blue Rising is story that takes you on a journey from the first page. Sucking you in with it's twists and making you feel as if you are right with Tabby as it all unfolds. An intense read that is very hard to put down.

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Goodreads Summer Reading 2020

Goodreads Summer Reading 2020
18Cathy Eades
My Books

First off thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy in return for an honest review. And to be honest i feel a bit mixed about this book. I definitely want to read the next installment, a lot happens in the last 25% of the book and there are some questions left very unanswered. But at the same time, I'm not wowed by the book. The first 75% seems to be setting things up, which she does nicely, but it doesnt have that un-putdownable feel.

So I don't want to spoil the story in any way, its definitely a unique concept for YA, although at the moment I cannot decide whether the concept feels a little "young", I think it will depend on where the next book goes with things. Personally I had figured out most of the twists and it wasn't a surprise for me, but I'm still hoping that there could be surprises in the next book.

I liked the characters. Not overly developed and I suppose this helps to reflect Tabby's relationships with people and how little she knows the characters. I hope that some of them will reappear in the next book.

The book is also simply written and has a good pace. The chapters were short and it was a pleasant read. There are some little bits where i felt an overlap with other books by Teri, but nothing too bad. I would recommend this for the younger YA scene although like I said, I am unsure which direction this will g off in and it has potential to become quite sinister.

This book has planted lots of seeds. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

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I have been a fan of Teri Terry since her arrival on the YA scene with the excellent "Slated" in 2012 which developed into one of the best dystopian series of the last decade. Although "Dark Blue Rising" is a very solid read, it lacks the edge of "Slated" and the end-of-the-world scenario in the virus driven "Contagion" trilogy. It's a gentler, character driven read, which is a cross between a drama and a thriller and for the most part it is tricky to figure out exactly where the book is going. It also suffers the current YA curse: it finishes for a sequel and just does not have enough resolution at the end of this first book.

Sixteen year old Tabby lives with her mum Cate, she does not go to school and they travel around gypsy and traveller camps and seem to be living a transient lifestyle. Cate is suspicious of everything any might be on the run. After a bullying incident leaves Tabby with a broken arm her life begins to seriously unravel and when the police become involved has to question who she is as the police drop a major revelation on her.

In the background we realise Tabby is an amazing swimmer and can hold her breathe underwater for an incredibly long period and has a weird attraction to the sea. A potential conspiracy bounces nicely against Tabby trying to start a new life, she realises Cat kept her hidden for a reason. But that's for book two.

It was a solid read, probably more aimed at girls, and Tabby was a great main character.

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