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This Raging Light
(This Raging Light #1)
by
Can the best thing happen at the worst time?
Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. ...more
Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. ...more
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Kindle Edition, 270 pages
Published
December 22nd 2015
by HMH Books for Young Readers
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Cora Tea Party Princess
Pick it up and turn the pages :)
Graham Cracker Dude
Almost, but this book has black on the cover, whereas Brilliant Light of Amber Sunrise did not. Good catch, though!
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of This Raging Light (This Raging Light, #1)
Jul 15, 2015
Melanie
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
could-have-been-so-much-better,
love-triangle,
romance,
young-adult,
books-i-own,
contemporary,
e-arc,
arc,
mystery,
to-review
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
THIS RAGING LIGHT is one of those books where I go in thinking that it'll be my next favourite novel, and come out utterly disappointed.
Why it went wrong for me:
- Total ass of a best friend aka Eden. So Lucille has been going through a lot of shit - her father is crazy and had to be sent away, her mother left through the front door without looking back and she has a 9-year-old sister to look after and feed while having a job and doing her own homework. The la ...more
THIS RAGING LIGHT is one of those books where I go in thinking that it'll be my next favourite novel, and come out utterly disappointed.
Why it went wrong for me:
- Total ass of a best friend aka Eden. So Lucille has been going through a lot of shit - her father is crazy and had to be sent away, her mother left through the front door without looking back and she has a 9-year-old sister to look after and feed while having a job and doing her own homework. The la ...more
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Lucille’s life was pretty average, up to the point where her daddy went nutso and her momma skipped town . . .
“All she left me was her car and this house. And Wren.”
Ever since Lucille has been doing her best to keep it together, but when the little bit of money left behind runs out and the bills start piling up, she realizes things hav ...more
3.5 Stars
“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Lucille’s life was pretty average, up to the point where her daddy went nutso and her momma skipped town . . .
“All she left me was her car and this house. And Wren.”
Ever since Lucille has been doing her best to keep it together, but when the little bit of money left behind runs out and the bills start piling up, she realizes things hav ...more
I won't go too into depth with this review as this debut novel won't be released until December, but I certainly have a few things to say about it! First of all I just want to thank NetGalley and HMH for this eARC! Already, this book has been receiving some praise so I was excited to see what it was all about!
It follows the main character as she tries to hide the fact that her mother left town and she's now the only carer for her 9-year-old sister. Their father is mentally unstable and they don' ...more
It follows the main character as she tries to hide the fact that her mother left town and she's now the only carer for her 9-year-old sister. Their father is mentally unstable and they don' ...more
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley.)

This was an interesting YA contemporary story, and it was about a lot more than just romance.
I felt really sorry for Lucille, to be abandoned by both your mother and father and left with a 9-year-old sister to lo ...more
“How is it that one day Digby was Eden’s admittedly extra-cute brother, and then the next he stole air, gave jitters, twisted my insides up?”

This was an interesting YA contemporary story, and it was about a lot more than just romance.
I felt really sorry for Lucille, to be abandoned by both your mother and father and left with a 9-year-old sister to lo ...more

Screw you, Barnes and Noble. Screw you for forcing me to impulse-buy this book becaUSE YOU DID NOT HAVE THE OTHER 4 BOOKS (4!!! BOOKS!!!) I INITIALLY WANTED TO BUY IN STOCK. I suffered for you. I cried for you. I'd do anything for you. I'd lie for you. You know it's true. BABY I'D DIE FOR YOUUUUU
Whoops. Off track.
Blarg. This Raging Light was the book equivalent of a starbucks loving, ugg wearing, brandy melville promoting, try-hard white girl. Everything was too much. Too many attempts at tryin ...more
Mar 06, 2015
Jen Ryland
added it
I can usually tell if a book is going to be for me after the first few chapters, and this one had me worried from the get-go. I finished it, but my opinion didn't change: not for me. Here's the lowdown:
Voice-y, but in the wrong kind of way. If a book's narrative voice feels authentic, I'm in love, and if not, reading that book feels like hearing nails on a chalkboard inside my head for 300 pages. While I appreciated the attempt at poetic writing, it didn't often work for me. I also didn't think ...more
Voice-y, but in the wrong kind of way. If a book's narrative voice feels authentic, I'm in love, and if not, reading that book feels like hearing nails on a chalkboard inside my head for 300 pages. While I appreciated the attempt at poetic writing, it didn't often work for me. I also didn't think ...more
DNF @ 26%
1 star
I can't even begin on where I hated or disliked this book
o The cover is shit
o It looks like a kid opened the "paint" thing on their computer and decided to "draw"
o Basically shit
o The MC, whose name I can't be bothered in remembering is dull
o And monotone
o And as interesting as a brick
o The writing style is dull
o and boring
o Basically everyone in this whole book is dull
o and boring
o And as interesting as a brick
o The hero's name is
o Wait for it.
o Digby.
o No offense to all the ...more
1 star
I can't even begin on where I hated or disliked this book
o The cover is shit
o It looks like a kid opened the "paint" thing on their computer and decided to "draw"
o Basically shit
o The MC, whose name I can't be bothered in remembering is dull
o And monotone
o And as interesting as a brick
o The writing style is dull
o and boring
o Basically everyone in this whole book is dull
o and boring
o And as interesting as a brick
o The hero's name is
o Wait for it.
o Digby.
o No offense to all the ...more
5 Words: Friends, family, love, school, abandoned.
I honestly wasn't so impressed by this. I went in thinking that it was going to be amazing and heart-breaking and that it would change my life a little... But it all fell flat.
This is a very short book that would ordinarily be a quick read. I thought I'd finish it in one sitting. But I found it too easy to put down, not easy enough to pick up again.
I couldn't connect with the characters, they were all complete idiots. They were Not Nice People an ...more
I honestly wasn't so impressed by this. I went in thinking that it was going to be amazing and heart-breaking and that it would change my life a little... But it all fell flat.
This is a very short book that would ordinarily be a quick read. I thought I'd finish it in one sitting. But I found it too easy to put down, not easy enough to pick up again.
I couldn't connect with the characters, they were all complete idiots. They were Not Nice People an ...more
***I received an eARC of this book from the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group) in exchange for an honest review. This is an uncorrected galley; any quotes used are subject to change.
This book follows a girl Lucille whose father was in a mental institution while her mother left town leaving her with her little sister, Wren. Their mother left Lucille with nothing but her younger ...more
“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
This book follows a girl Lucille whose father was in a mental institution while her mother left town leaving her with her little sister, Wren. Their mother left Lucille with nothing but her younger ...more
Sep 19, 2014
Hazel (Stay Bookish)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
own-physical-arc,
from-bea-15
*slow clap* THANK YOU, BOOK, FOR MAKING ME FEEL ALL THE THINGS. I LOVE YOU. LIKE SO MUCH. (Also, just to be clear to everyone- Digby Riley Jones, of the clearest of greenest of eyes and wearer of perfect freckles, is my new book boyfriend. Hands off.) Full review tk.
DNF - 13%
I convinced myself I was curious enough about the mom (found out it wasn't even discussed in the book wtf) to keep on reading but then subtle racist and homophobic comments appeared.
"She’s all dark and exotic and self-confident but accessible." Is she "exotic" or are you just ignorant?
"'You gay?'
'No!'
'Homophobic?'
'Oh my gosh!'
She makes fun. Giggles."
Oh, because being gay is offensive (so is homophobia, as implied. great! pat on the back for the author) and sometimes funny.
Tho ...more
I convinced myself I was curious enough about the mom (found out it wasn't even discussed in the book wtf) to keep on reading but then subtle racist and homophobic comments appeared.
"She’s all dark and exotic and self-confident but accessible." Is she "exotic" or are you just ignorant?
"'You gay?'
'No!'
'Homophobic?'
'Oh my gosh!'
She makes fun. Giggles."
Oh, because being gay is offensive (so is homophobia, as implied. great! pat on the back for the author) and sometimes funny.
Tho ...more
Read on the WondrousBooks blog.
After her dad goes mad and her mom, too depressed to look out for her two children, goes on a vacation she never comes from, Lucille is left to take care of her 9-year-old sister. Lucille is still in high school, she has no job and absolutely no idea how to be the grown up her sister needs. On her journey to becoming that person many different people come to her aid and help her realize that not everyone leaves and that some people love you no matter what.
Now t ...more
After her dad goes mad and her mom, too depressed to look out for her two children, goes on a vacation she never comes from, Lucille is left to take care of her 9-year-old sister. Lucille is still in high school, she has no job and absolutely no idea how to be the grown up her sister needs. On her journey to becoming that person many different people come to her aid and help her realize that not everyone leaves and that some people love you no matter what.
Now t ...more
Jul 23, 2017
Erin the Avid Reader ⚜BFF's with the Cheshire Cat⚜
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
my-book-reviews,
absolute-rubbish
Hate.
Let me tell you just how much I've come to hate this book since I finished reading it.
There are 100 million little neurons of microscopic size that fill my turgid body. If the word "Hate" was engraved in each iota of those millions of neurons, it would not equal one millionth of the hate I have for this book at this micro instant.
Hate.
Hate.*
I hated this book. I absolutely do not like using the word hate, but I cannot find myself even giving this book the 2 stars many claim it deserves. I fo ...more
Let me tell you just how much I've come to hate this book since I finished reading it.
There are 100 million little neurons of microscopic size that fill my turgid body. If the word "Hate" was engraved in each iota of those millions of neurons, it would not equal one millionth of the hate I have for this book at this micro instant.
Hate.
Hate.*
I hated this book. I absolutely do not like using the word hate, but I cannot find myself even giving this book the 2 stars many claim it deserves. I fo ...more
I picked up “This Raging Light” early yesterday morning and read half of it in one big gorgeous gulp, had to go to work, cursing all the way because I had to put the book down, then came back and read the other half of it, glaring fiercely at anyone who attempted to interrupt me. It was very very good.
Lucille is living on the edge of reason – her father is gone, her mother too – left in charge of her younger sister, not daring to reach out for help lest they are parted, she is also battling her ...more
Lucille is living on the edge of reason – her father is gone, her mother too – left in charge of her younger sister, not daring to reach out for help lest they are parted, she is also battling her ...more
This Raging Light is one of a kind, you will not have read anything like this before; it’s emotional, uplifting at times, shows true strength and courage for one unfortunate teenager and packs one hell of a punch.
Seventeen-year old Lucille is the talk of the town, everybody knows her as the daughter of a man who snapped and attacked her mother. After her Dad was carted away to god-knows where, her Mother slowly started to abandon Lucille and her sister Wren, leaving them to fend for themselves. ...more
Seventeen-year old Lucille is the talk of the town, everybody knows her as the daughter of a man who snapped and attacked her mother. After her Dad was carted away to god-knows where, her Mother slowly started to abandon Lucille and her sister Wren, leaving them to fend for themselves. ...more
I read this a while back. It was quite bad. Also cheating=romance because that's how we do it here. Eden was the only likable character. I get Lucille was going through some stuff, but come on.
...more
Although this book is essentially quite a sad story and you do wonder how this young girl is coping with her life, warmth just emulates from every page.
It is a comforting coming-of-age story, and all those emotions you get when you’re 17, mixed in with a handful of emotions no 17 year old should have to feel, makes this a really emotive and relatable read.
I read it in one sitting and it’s easily worthy of a 4 star rating :)
It is a comforting coming-of-age story, and all those emotions you get when you’re 17, mixed in with a handful of emotions no 17 year old should have to feel, makes this a really emotive and relatable read.
I read it in one sitting and it’s easily worthy of a 4 star rating :)
My thanks to HMH Books for Young Readers
--------------------------------------------------------------
Point of View: Single (Lucille)
Writing: First Person | Present Tense
Setting:
Genre: Young Adult | Realistic Fiction
--------------------------------------------------------------
This book is AMAZING! Just read it and you'll find out why.
I loved everything about. Absolutely everything.
I loved that this book made me smile and cry countless of times. It was emotional, but there were always gli ...more
it wasn't a bad book... just purely average. review to come! actual rating about 2.5 stars
...more
Full 5 out of 5 stars, no question. This is my favorite read of the year.
I am so happy a book with this storyline exists. Luce's struggle was so real and got into specific detail about what a 17-year-old in a situation like that would actually go through... which made it tough to read, but also refreshing.
I loved Luce's relationship with her little sister, Wrenny. I thought Wrenny was a wonderfully individual little girl with smarts and unique tastes/interests. She remained easy for Luce to take ...more
I am so happy a book with this storyline exists. Luce's struggle was so real and got into specific detail about what a 17-year-old in a situation like that would actually go through... which made it tough to read, but also refreshing.
I loved Luce's relationship with her little sister, Wrenny. I thought Wrenny was a wonderfully individual little girl with smarts and unique tastes/interests. She remained easy for Luce to take ...more
May 25, 2015
Kim at Divergent Gryffindor
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2015-releases,
rating-4-stars
I was given an ARC copy by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This Raging Light proves that the main character doesn't have to be an assassin, a vigilante, nor a queen to be badass.
Lucille's dad was admitted to a mental facility when she was younger, and ever since then her mother has never been the same. Now, even her mom is gone. On top of that, she has a baby sister to take care of, bills to pay, a best friend to worry about, and worse of all, a boy who has a gir ...more
This Raging Light proves that the main character doesn't have to be an assassin, a vigilante, nor a queen to be badass.
Lucille's dad was admitted to a mental facility when she was younger, and ever since then her mother has never been the same. Now, even her mom is gone. On top of that, she has a baby sister to take care of, bills to pay, a best friend to worry about, and worse of all, a boy who has a gir ...more
This Raging Light is a book about an eighteen year old girl named Lucille Bennett. Her father is mentally unstable and was sent away. Her mom left town abandoning Lucille and her nine year old sister. There is a whole lot on Lucille's plate. She has bills to pay, take care of her sister, and make it seem like nothing is off to avoid suspicion from adults. No one can know that their mom left or social services might step in. Her newest problem is that she is falling for her best friend's twin br
...more
Full Review on The Candid Cover
While the cover for This Raging Light is absolutely stunning, I had a very hard time enjoying this book. The main character isn’t one that I could easily connect with. Also, there are many loose ends at the end of the book, which left me wondering so many things. However, the writing in this book is truly beautiful and I was able to keep reading because of it.
The main character in This Raging Light, Lucille, was one that I just couldn’t bring myself to relate to. I ...more
While the cover for This Raging Light is absolutely stunning, I had a very hard time enjoying this book. The main character isn’t one that I could easily connect with. Also, there are many loose ends at the end of the book, which left me wondering so many things. However, the writing in this book is truly beautiful and I was able to keep reading because of it.
The main character in This Raging Light, Lucille, was one that I just couldn’t bring myself to relate to. I ...more
I am trying to compose my thoughts. I LOVED this book. I knew nothing of what it was about, so everything was a surprise. Lucille's voice is beautful, the writing is beautiful, and the story is so filled with hope and love and humor even when things are hard.
I wish I were the type of person who underlined books because there are so many beautiful, quotable lines in THIS RAGING LIGHT. Estelle Laure is an author to watch and I will leave you with a few, but know they might change as this is an ad ...more
I wish I were the type of person who underlined books because there are so many beautiful, quotable lines in THIS RAGING LIGHT. Estelle Laure is an author to watch and I will leave you with a few, but know they might change as this is an ad ...more
I was looking for a quick, enjoyable read when I picked this up and I got exactly what I was hoping for. In fact, I finished this book in one sitting because I just got so into the story that I couldn't stop reading once I had started. The love story was kind of meh for me but I loved everything else about the story so it balanced out. I absolutely adored Lucille, she was such a strong heroine. No matter what came her way she pushed forward and found a way to make it work. And I was in love with
...more
4/5 stars this book had a very unique plot line.
I would recommend it to people who like a contemporary. I didn't give it a 5 because near the end all she was thinking about was the guy she liked but something bad happened to someone else and I was wondering why she was just thinking about him.
Over all this book was very enjoyable. It was very fast paced and a great read to get you out of a reading slump. ...more
I would recommend it to people who like a contemporary. I didn't give it a 5 because near the end all she was thinking about was the guy she liked but something bad happened to someone else and I was wondering why she was just thinking about him.
Over all this book was very enjoyable. It was very fast paced and a great read to get you out of a reading slump. ...more
This book has several problems:
First the protagonist pass the whole book talking about the boy (all the time) and how she can not live without him.
Second he has girlfriend I can not stand betrayal in books, no matter the reason,is wrong (at least in my point of view).
Third so much unnecessary things happens, seriously I do not know how the author managed on a few pages.
Concluding the book is terrible.I wish I had not lost my time reading,sincerely...
First the protagonist pass the whole book talking about the boy (all the time) and how she can not live without him.
Second he has girlfriend I can not stand betrayal in books, no matter the reason,is wrong (at least in my point of view).
Third so much unnecessary things happens, seriously I do not know how the author managed on a few pages.
Concluding the book is terrible.I wish I had not lost my time reading,sincerely...
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Romance. Teen girl lives alone with younger sister; she ice skates & has a best friend that has twin brother. In freak accident, best friend gets hurt & is in a coma. MC ends up falling in love with best friend's boyfriend. [s] | 3 | 21 | Feb 17, 2022 11:53AM | |
| YA Buddy Readers'...: This Raging Light by Estelle Laure - Restarting March 15th 2018 | 23 | 106 | Mar 24, 2018 09:46AM |
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Estelle Laure is a Vonnegut worshipper who believes in love and magic and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theater Arts from New Mexico State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and thinks everyone should have to wait tables or work in a kitchen at least once in their lives. She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her childre
...more
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