What do you think?
Rate this book
Raised
Not yet published
Expected 15 Apr 26Thirteen years ago, Sadie’s father left her to live with a family of bears in the enchanted forest that surrounded her peculiar hometown.
Yesterday, the bears ate him.
In the wake of her father’s death, Sadie befriends a mysterious Wolf-Woman who is mourning a loss of her own. Together, they work to rebuild a sense of normalcy.
But “normal” looks different for everyone, and their magical town has its own ideas about how they should heal.
There’s a story in the town library that needs an ending.
There’s a golden thread that needs a knot.
And The Festival of The Fireflies is fast approaching.
Yesterday, the bears ate him.
In the wake of her father’s death, Sadie befriends a mysterious Wolf-Woman who is mourning a loss of her own. Together, they work to rebuild a sense of normalcy.
But “normal” looks different for everyone, and their magical town has its own ideas about how they should heal.
There’s a story in the town library that needs an ending.
There’s a golden thread that needs a knot.
And The Festival of The Fireflies is fast approaching.
328 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 15, 2026
3 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The premise of Raised grabbed my attention, and had every reason not to let go. Fairy tale vibes with conversations about grieving, complicate families, the relationship between nature and humanity, and a fantastic hook. Who wouldn't want to read a book about a girl who's father got eaten by magical bears? The actual experience of the read, like grieving, was a little more complicated than that.
Our initial introduction to the world and setting of Raised feels very much like the kind of fairy tale you would read to a younger audience. The lexile is low and approachable, there's a lot more telling than showing, and the style of the illustrations skew it little younger still. Then you walk smack into references and content that had had me reassessing the intended audience real quick. It threw me off for a bit, but is also where the book gets significantly stronger.
Sadie is an interesting protagonist, and her discomfort with the Liminal Space she grew up in is an interesting twist on expected fairy tale forms. There are some fascinating ruminations on the complicated legacy that comes from having loving parent/s who were unable to meet your needs and the cost emotional neglect. Her relationship with her girlfriend is one of the sweeter parts of the book.
The other protagonist, the Wolf Woman, has fascinating potential in her metaphor and relationship with the Liminal Space, but feels like she could use more space to finish developing her concept. Focus on other characters, including her sexual partners, swamps out a lot of space where she could develop further. Still, she's likeable and complicated enough that I would have read more on her gladly.
If this is the first book in a series, the large cast of reasonably developed and quirky characters would bring me back to see how the author uses them and develops their skills. There is so much potential here that doesn't quite hit the mark. For example, the final resolution feels a bit unresolved with a Deus Ex Machina that has little to nothing to do with the main characters making choices and a lot more to do with a background character with fragile connects to the leads.
Assuming that this is a solo book, it was decent read, and I could see myself picking up another book by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Our initial introduction to the world and setting of Raised feels very much like the kind of fairy tale you would read to a younger audience. The lexile is low and approachable, there's a lot more telling than showing, and the style of the illustrations skew it little younger still. Then you walk smack into references and content that had had me reassessing the intended audience real quick. It threw me off for a bit, but is also where the book gets significantly stronger.
Sadie is an interesting protagonist, and her discomfort with the Liminal Space she grew up in is an interesting twist on expected fairy tale forms. There are some fascinating ruminations on the complicated legacy that comes from having loving parent/s who were unable to meet your needs and the cost emotional neglect. Her relationship with her girlfriend is one of the sweeter parts of the book.
The other protagonist, the Wolf Woman, has fascinating potential in her metaphor and relationship with the Liminal Space, but feels like she could use more space to finish developing her concept. Focus on other characters, including her sexual partners, swamps out a lot of space where she could develop further. Still, she's likeable and complicated enough that I would have read more on her gladly.
If this is the first book in a series, the large cast of reasonably developed and quirky characters would bring me back to see how the author uses them and develops their skills. There is so much potential here that doesn't quite hit the mark. For example, the final resolution feels a bit unresolved with a Deus Ex Machina that has little to nothing to do with the main characters making choices and a lot more to do with a background character with fragile connects to the leads.
Assuming that this is a solo book, it was decent read, and I could see myself picking up another book by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy
Raised is a compelling and engaging read that captures the reader’s attention from the beginning. The story unfolds with emotional depth and thoughtful storytelling, making it both enjoyable and meaningful.
The characters feel authentic and well-developed, allowing readers to connect with their experiences and growth throughout the book. The author does a great job balancing introspection, tension, and moments of reflection, which keeps the narrative interesting and engaging.
The pacing flows smoothly, and the writing style is clear and immersive. It’s the kind of book that invites readers to reflect on personal journeys, resilience, and the experiences that shape who we become.
I would recommend Raised to readers who enjoy thoughtful storytelling with emotional depth and strong character development.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters feel authentic and well-developed, allowing readers to connect with their experiences and growth throughout the book. The author does a great job balancing introspection, tension, and moments of reflection, which keeps the narrative interesting and engaging.
The pacing flows smoothly, and the writing style is clear and immersive. It’s the kind of book that invites readers to reflect on personal journeys, resilience, and the experiences that shape who we become.
I would recommend Raised to readers who enjoy thoughtful storytelling with emotional depth and strong character development.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is an extraordinary book. You will enter a world touched by magic — you may long to go there — with characters who will remind you of your closest friends, yourself. There will be a treehouse restaurant that lets you pay with a secret that cannot be told. There will be a golden thread that appears, and reappears.
You will meet the impossibly handsome milkman, the aspiring comic book artist, the woman who is also a wolf, the mushroom girl, and Sadie who is their close friend. Bears and wolves, the forest itself,
overlap the human world.
This book drew me in, and in. There is a touch of Dandelion Wine here. Part of the magic is in the world created, and part of the magic is in the voice, the clear, nuanced voice.
You will meet the impossibly handsome milkman, the aspiring comic book artist, the woman who is also a wolf, the mushroom girl, and Sadie who is their close friend. Bears and wolves, the forest itself,
overlap the human world.
This book drew me in, and in. There is a touch of Dandelion Wine here. Part of the magic is in the world created, and part of the magic is in the voice, the clear, nuanced voice.
Did not finish
March 28, 2026dnf at 30%. I know I should just persevere through this since it's an arc but it's just soooooooooo boring. I can tell the writing style is supposed to be weirldy charming but unfortunately it's doing nothing for me. The story itself was very Welcome-to-Nightvale vibes, which I am a fan of, but either that kind of story doesn't work well as a book or this author just isn't able to pull it off. Plotwise I think this is supposed to be "cozy" which to me just means "no plot," hence why it's boring.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Raised is a beautifully written story about grief, liminal identity, and the magic of small details.
It felt like reading the book version of a Studio Ghibli film. Eva gently, and lovingly, explores ideas about nature, humanity, grief, our proximity to our animal selves, and the importance of telling stories but never loses the magical golden thread that is her voice. It’s a warm hug of a book and I’m so glad I read it when I did.
It felt like reading the book version of a Studio Ghibli film. Eva gently, and lovingly, explores ideas about nature, humanity, grief, our proximity to our animal selves, and the importance of telling stories but never loses the magical golden thread that is her voice. It’s a warm hug of a book and I’m so glad I read it when I did.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews