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TrueColors #1
Dark Blue: Color Me Lonely
Kara Hendricks and Jordan Ferguson have been best friends since kindergarten. That is until Jordan started hanging out with a new “cool” crowd and decided Kara was a popularity liability. Devastated, Kara feels betrayed and abandoned by everyone―even God. Yet for all the hurt and insecurity, these dark blue days contain a life-changing secret. Kara has the chance to discover something about herself that she never knew before. This first book in the teen fiction series TrueColors deals with self-worth, identity, and loneliness. Includes discussion questions.
206 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2003
87 people are currently reading
2008 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
418 books3,248 followersMelody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
October 10, 2009
This book was a free one on the Kindle. I honestly would not have looked twice at it but I do get all the free books. I didn't know anything about the series or the author.
The book was awkwardly written in present tense first person. I never did go back and check, but I could have sworn there were instances of slipping into past tense... maybe there weren't and the writing was so weird that it just felt that way.
Kara was a miserable character. Her whole existence was based on her friend Jordan and when Jordan moved on (Believe me, I would have too. Kara was such a downer.), Kara's life falls apart. The girl was so down that she was really half a step from suicide. Almost halfway through the book, Kara begins to hang out with some kids in her art class. This is actually where the story begins and everything before it was a complete waste with unnecessary focus on menial tasks and activities.
Like I said, I had never heard about this series or the author before. Because it was free, I didn't really look into it to see if it would be something I was interested in. It was for this reason that I was surprised when I got smacked in the face with the religious purpose of the book. I don't have anything against Christian fiction. I have something against writing being so unsubtle. I felt almost tricked because there was no mention at all until halfway through the book and then there's nothing but.
Kara finally agrees to go with one of her art friends to his youth group. The set up for the youth group felt really cultish- as in if it had been any other religion, people would be screaming about brainwashing the children. The youth pastor targets Kara's specific problem of feeling absolutely lost without her best friend. But she doesn't need a best friend because Jesus is her best friend. And Jesus will never leave you for cheerleaders.
But that wasn't my biggest problem. Kara seemed to turn on a switch and suddenly believe. Not only that, but her life instantly becomes better. Every insecurity she had goes away. She becomes immediately happy and confident. She even becomes better looking. And whenever Kara feels bad, she has internal conversations with her new best friend and I half expected Jesus to talk back. She also prays, but all her prayers are selfish. She never is just thankful for what she has. She always wants something more.
And then Jordan, her old best friend, wants to be friends again. But now Kara doesn't want to be friends because Jordan wants her to make changes in friends and be popular. Kara doesn't need her old best friend back, though. She has Jesus and tells Jordan so. Her description made it seem like she had a physical person as a friend and actually sounded a little crazy. Now I did agree with Kara in that Jordan was completely mean to her throughout the year and now wants to change everything about her to make her fit in and I would have declined that, too. But the rest was strange.
This book was bad. There was such a lack of subtlety that I felt like I was being preached at. I got the message of the book. You'd have to be stupid to miss it. The extremes in Kara's life- her depth of depression and then her amazing confidence- were so false that there was no way to relate without having a chemical imbalance. Her friends Amy and Edgar were such caricatures and stereotypes that they were also unbelievable.
The book was awkwardly written in present tense first person. I never did go back and check, but I could have sworn there were instances of slipping into past tense... maybe there weren't and the writing was so weird that it just felt that way.
Kara was a miserable character. Her whole existence was based on her friend Jordan and when Jordan moved on (Believe me, I would have too. Kara was such a downer.), Kara's life falls apart. The girl was so down that she was really half a step from suicide. Almost halfway through the book, Kara begins to hang out with some kids in her art class. This is actually where the story begins and everything before it was a complete waste with unnecessary focus on menial tasks and activities.
Like I said, I had never heard about this series or the author before. Because it was free, I didn't really look into it to see if it would be something I was interested in. It was for this reason that I was surprised when I got smacked in the face with the religious purpose of the book. I don't have anything against Christian fiction. I have something against writing being so unsubtle. I felt almost tricked because there was no mention at all until halfway through the book and then there's nothing but.
Kara finally agrees to go with one of her art friends to his youth group. The set up for the youth group felt really cultish- as in if it had been any other religion, people would be screaming about brainwashing the children. The youth pastor targets Kara's specific problem of feeling absolutely lost without her best friend. But she doesn't need a best friend because Jesus is her best friend. And Jesus will never leave you for cheerleaders.
But that wasn't my biggest problem. Kara seemed to turn on a switch and suddenly believe. Not only that, but her life instantly becomes better. Every insecurity she had goes away. She becomes immediately happy and confident. She even becomes better looking. And whenever Kara feels bad, she has internal conversations with her new best friend and I half expected Jesus to talk back. She also prays, but all her prayers are selfish. She never is just thankful for what she has. She always wants something more.
And then Jordan, her old best friend, wants to be friends again. But now Kara doesn't want to be friends because Jordan wants her to make changes in friends and be popular. Kara doesn't need her old best friend back, though. She has Jesus and tells Jordan so. Her description made it seem like she had a physical person as a friend and actually sounded a little crazy. Now I did agree with Kara in that Jordan was completely mean to her throughout the year and now wants to change everything about her to make her fit in and I would have declined that, too. But the rest was strange.
This book was bad. There was such a lack of subtlety that I felt like I was being preached at. I got the message of the book. You'd have to be stupid to miss it. The extremes in Kara's life- her depth of depression and then her amazing confidence- were so false that there was no way to relate without having a chemical imbalance. Her friends Amy and Edgar were such caricatures and stereotypes that they were also unbelievable.
April 1, 2008
The first in the True Colors series. This is actually my first Christian Fiction book to read, so I wanted to talk about it a little. The first two books in this series look like they're the only ones that need to be read in order, and that's only because this book introduces the main character for the next book. This was actually pretty good. It's the story of a girl who loses her best friend to the popular crowd, and gets horribly lonely (haven't we all felt that way?), and eventually manages to find some other people to start hanging out with, one of whom talks her into going to a Bible Study. While there, she's basically introduced to Jesus and decides to become a Christian. (This is an extremely simple retelling of the story, there is a little bit extra in there too.) I rather liked it though. Melody Carlson is really good at writing about feelings. The sadness, pain, and lonliness that Kara goes through are very real, and then when she opens her heart to Jesus, it was actually a very touching part of the story. It's not very preachy, but it has a good, strong message. I rather liked it.
July 26, 2011
Original post at One More Page
I've been curious about Melody Carlson's True Colors series back when I first saw them during the Manila International Book Fair. However, because of my series completion compulsion back then, I never got it. For one thing, there are about 12 books in the series, and another, I couldn't find the first book. Whenever I do find the first book, I feel like maybe I should get the next one too, so I skip on buying it. Until I finally got a copy during one of the sales I went to last year.
The True Colors series is a set of Christian-themed books for teens that tackle issues that teens deal with everyday: family, friendships, drugs, sexuality, body image and more. The stories are ideally written for the Christian market, but it is also supposed to be readable by non-Christians as well. The first book, Dark Blue , talks about friendships, and how Kara Hendricks felt after her best friend Jordan Ferguson joined the cheerleading team and became a part of the popular crowd. Kara starts seeing changes with Jordan and she feels betrayed. Alone and lonely, she finds friends in some of her art class, and ultimately finds her faith amidst this challenge.
So I went into Dark Blue expecting to like it, despite the fact that I am far from my teenage years. Kara and I shared similar experiences about a friend moving on, so I thought I would be able to sympathize with her. The book starts out strong, with Kara introducing Jordan and their friendship, and letting readers understand how they met, what their personalities are and how the cheerleading thing came to be. I really, honestly tried to enjoy it...but I couldn't.
For one thing, Kara was annoying. I know she was left behind and she was angry and sad but she really grated my nerves with all her weepy-ness and whiny-ness. I wanted to shake her and tell her, "Girl, you have to try something and not just wallow in self pity. Jordan isn't the only one who can make you happy!" I never even really got the vibe that Jordan left her behind immediately. Jordan tried to keep Kara as a friend but Kara pushed her away. If Jordan was written with more of a mean girl vibe from the start, then I would have found the succeeding events convincing, especially the end. However, it was always Kara who is avoiding her gaze, or Kara trying to disappear, or Kara crying because Jordan left her without even thinking once.
But okay fine, I can forgive that because it really kind of sucks when your best friend has new friends that you can't fit in with. I can't say much on the Christian aspect but I might have to agree with what this one review said: Kara's change was so sudden that it felt a bit unreal. Like she was holding on to Jesus so much that it came off as using it to slap Jordan in the face -- as in "Hey, who needs you as a friend now that I have Jesus!" I truly believe that Jesus is enough and He is the best friend we could all ever have, but I also think we are built for community and relationships while we're here on earth, and taking that away just felt wrong.
I wish I could say more for the writing, but there was more tell than show, and I was terribly bored with the things Kara did everyday. I mean, it's normal everyday teenage stuff, but why narrate it? It may be to stress her depression, but it didn't make for a very interesting book, at least for me. I was kind of relieved it was short, so at least I don't have to plod on reading it. If it was more than 250 pages, I would've marked this as DNF.
I really wanted to like Dark Blue , but it kind of fell in the same traps that I thought Miss Match by Erynn Mangum did: annoying characters, too-"mountain-top" spiritual themes, and awkward writing. Maybe if I read this when I was younger, I would have liked it more, but now, I just didn't like it.
I've been curious about Melody Carlson's True Colors series back when I first saw them during the Manila International Book Fair. However, because of my series completion compulsion back then, I never got it. For one thing, there are about 12 books in the series, and another, I couldn't find the first book. Whenever I do find the first book, I feel like maybe I should get the next one too, so I skip on buying it. Until I finally got a copy during one of the sales I went to last year.
The True Colors series is a set of Christian-themed books for teens that tackle issues that teens deal with everyday: family, friendships, drugs, sexuality, body image and more. The stories are ideally written for the Christian market, but it is also supposed to be readable by non-Christians as well. The first book, Dark Blue , talks about friendships, and how Kara Hendricks felt after her best friend Jordan Ferguson joined the cheerleading team and became a part of the popular crowd. Kara starts seeing changes with Jordan and she feels betrayed. Alone and lonely, she finds friends in some of her art class, and ultimately finds her faith amidst this challenge.
So I went into Dark Blue expecting to like it, despite the fact that I am far from my teenage years. Kara and I shared similar experiences about a friend moving on, so I thought I would be able to sympathize with her. The book starts out strong, with Kara introducing Jordan and their friendship, and letting readers understand how they met, what their personalities are and how the cheerleading thing came to be. I really, honestly tried to enjoy it...but I couldn't.
For one thing, Kara was annoying. I know she was left behind and she was angry and sad but she really grated my nerves with all her weepy-ness and whiny-ness. I wanted to shake her and tell her, "Girl, you have to try something and not just wallow in self pity. Jordan isn't the only one who can make you happy!" I never even really got the vibe that Jordan left her behind immediately. Jordan tried to keep Kara as a friend but Kara pushed her away. If Jordan was written with more of a mean girl vibe from the start, then I would have found the succeeding events convincing, especially the end. However, it was always Kara who is avoiding her gaze, or Kara trying to disappear, or Kara crying because Jordan left her without even thinking once.
But okay fine, I can forgive that because it really kind of sucks when your best friend has new friends that you can't fit in with. I can't say much on the Christian aspect but I might have to agree with what this one review said: Kara's change was so sudden that it felt a bit unreal. Like she was holding on to Jesus so much that it came off as using it to slap Jordan in the face -- as in "Hey, who needs you as a friend now that I have Jesus!" I truly believe that Jesus is enough and He is the best friend we could all ever have, but I also think we are built for community and relationships while we're here on earth, and taking that away just felt wrong.
I wish I could say more for the writing, but there was more tell than show, and I was terribly bored with the things Kara did everyday. I mean, it's normal everyday teenage stuff, but why narrate it? It may be to stress her depression, but it didn't make for a very interesting book, at least for me. I was kind of relieved it was short, so at least I don't have to plod on reading it. If it was more than 250 pages, I would've marked this as DNF.
I really wanted to like Dark Blue , but it kind of fell in the same traps that I thought Miss Match by Erynn Mangum did: annoying characters, too-"mountain-top" spiritual themes, and awkward writing. Maybe if I read this when I was younger, I would have liked it more, but now, I just didn't like it.
June 16, 2012
UPDATE 6/12/12: This is not the type of book I usually read. Sure, I had read books with religious themes in it, but never a Christian-for-teenagers book. I picked this book up because my mom thinks is unhealthy for me to read paranormal books (Something I disagree very greatly). But, since she keeps insisting, I'm going to read this book. I hope I don't regret this.
This is going to be the most awkward review ever.
Let's get one thing straight: I'm a Christian. Sure, I cuss like a fucking sailor, I think about sex all the time, and have a twisted humor. But I'm still a Christian.
Anyways, like I said before, my mom isn't pleased with my behavior. So, when I found these books at the library, I told her: "Hey, Mummy! I found some Christian books to read! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!" And she responded: "Yes."
For some reason, I had feeling I was going to regret this. But I like making my mom happy, so I did. Read this book, that is.
When the main character is irritating you within the first 10 pages . . . you're doing something wrong.
Kara Hendricks is the most annoying teenager I'd ever read. You know what she does for most of the book? WHIIIIIIIIIIINEEEE. And you know what else she does? WHIIIIIIIIIINEEE. Seriously, shut up!! No wonder Jordan dumped you!! You are a sniveling fucking idiot!! She tries talking to you, but NOOOOO. You push her away like she's nothing and then you wonder why are you alone. Why, you little . . . I want to kill you!!
FUUUUUUUUUUCK YOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!!!
*hyperventilates*
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I'm going to talk about the plot.
Girl wants to kill herself because other girl is hanging out with "cool" kids and she thinks she's dumping her even though she's been trying to talk to her. She's so damn delusional and pathetic that the only thing she can see is her hate for herself. Finally, other girl stops talking to her and Girl is miserable.
For at least half of the book, Kara is an incompetent girl. Whine, whine, whine. Then, she meets a group of kids (Who she judges right away, that bitch!) and befriends them later on. HA! Take that best-friend-who-really-didn't-dump!!
Edgar, one of her new friends, talks to her about the power of Jesus. Kara gets excited at the idea.
Okay, I get that this is a Christian book, but I felt that the message slapped me in the face. PREACH! PREACH! PREACH!! Okay, it wasn't that preachy . . . but still. It was actually a little bit . . . enlightening. But still kind of preachy.
And how convenient that Kara's personality and problems changed drastically and quickly once she let the power of Jesus get inside her heart. Hmmm. Melody Carlson, are you trying to slap something to us?
Finally, Jordan finally wants Kara's friendship back. But, there's a condition: Kara should drop her nerdy new friends. At that moment, I got to discover that Jordan is really a bitchy-parasite. Kara doesn't accept because she's tired of being ordered around. She tells her that she doesn't need her. I was like, "Good! Way to go, girl!"
Then, the last sentence of the book came.
Thanks for being there for me, Jesus," I prayed. "YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND."
I don't know why I laughed!! I thought that was awfully corny!!
Aaaand . . . I'm definitely going to hell for that.
*shivers*
Despite that, Dark Blue was very fast to read and took me a few hours to finish. But it was also terribly written. It reads like a diary, for Pete's sake!
I heard that it gets worse from Torch Red. Well, all I'm going to say to that is:
I'm ready.
P.S. I'd been told that Stephanie Perry Moore's books aren't that preachy and actually good Christian fiction. I hope they're telling the truth.
This is going to be the most awkward review ever.
Let's get one thing straight: I'm a Christian. Sure, I cuss like a fucking sailor, I think about sex all the time, and have a twisted humor. But I'm still a Christian.
Anyways, like I said before, my mom isn't pleased with my behavior. So, when I found these books at the library, I told her: "Hey, Mummy! I found some Christian books to read! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!" And she responded: "Yes."
For some reason, I had feeling I was going to regret this. But I like making my mom happy, so I did. Read this book, that is.
When the main character is irritating you within the first 10 pages . . . you're doing something wrong.
Kara Hendricks is the most annoying teenager I'd ever read. You know what she does for most of the book? WHIIIIIIIIIIINEEEE. And you know what else she does? WHIIIIIIIIIINEEE. Seriously, shut up!! No wonder Jordan dumped you!! You are a sniveling fucking idiot!! She tries talking to you, but NOOOOO. You push her away like she's nothing and then you wonder why are you alone. Why, you little . . . I want to kill you!!
FUUUUUUUUUUCK YOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!!!
*hyperventilates*
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I'm going to talk about the plot.
Girl wants to kill herself because other girl is hanging out with "cool" kids and she thinks she's dumping her even though she's been trying to talk to her. She's so damn delusional and pathetic that the only thing she can see is her hate for herself. Finally, other girl stops talking to her and Girl is miserable.
For at least half of the book, Kara is an incompetent girl. Whine, whine, whine. Then, she meets a group of kids (Who she judges right away, that bitch!) and befriends them later on. HA! Take that best-friend-who-really-didn't-dump!!
Edgar, one of her new friends, talks to her about the power of Jesus. Kara gets excited at the idea.
Okay, I get that this is a Christian book, but I felt that the message slapped me in the face. PREACH! PREACH! PREACH!! Okay, it wasn't that preachy . . . but still. It was actually a little bit . . . enlightening. But still kind of preachy.
And how convenient that Kara's personality and problems changed drastically and quickly once she let the power of Jesus get inside her heart. Hmmm. Melody Carlson, are you trying to slap something to us?
Finally, Jordan finally wants Kara's friendship back. But, there's a condition: Kara should drop her nerdy new friends. At that moment, I got to discover that Jordan is really a bitchy-parasite. Kara doesn't accept because she's tired of being ordered around. She tells her that she doesn't need her. I was like, "Good! Way to go, girl!"
Then, the last sentence of the book came.
Thanks for being there for me, Jesus," I prayed. "YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND."
I don't know why I laughed!! I thought that was awfully corny!!
Aaaand . . . I'm definitely going to hell for that.
*shivers*
Despite that, Dark Blue was very fast to read and took me a few hours to finish. But it was also terribly written. It reads like a diary, for Pete's sake!
I heard that it gets worse from Torch Red. Well, all I'm going to say to that is:
I'm ready.
P.S. I'd been told that Stephanie Perry Moore's books aren't that preachy and actually good Christian fiction. I hope they're telling the truth.
April 26, 2016
Basic Info
Format: Paperback
Pages/Length: 206pgs
Genre: Young Adult; Christian Fiction.
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Slight obsession.
Cliff Hanger: No
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 2 stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 6
Characters: 4
World Building: 5
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 6
Ending: 4
Total: 4
In Dept
Best Part: Nice message.
Worst Part: Horrible characters.
Thoughts Had: Wowwwww
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: Yah
Recommending: if you like these, sure.
Short Review: Straight up, i am not a Christian but i can stomach reading Christian fiction, sometimes. My MAJOR issue with this book, the characters! They are HORRIBLE! The MC, Kara?, need to grow some balls, so your friend found new friends, how about you find some new friends instead of freaking out. Jordan, you need to learn to not be a B towards Kara, yah you have new friends, but you need to make sure you don't just drop Kara. Amy, you're just a straight up BBBBB. Other issues, the ending, she found Jesus and SUDDENLY every single problem is either fixed or she isn't bothered by them anymore, don't think it works like that.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Pass.
Best Friend Material: Pass.
Review in GIF Form:
July 28, 2011
I read this to get an idea of what YA Christian fiction is like. And this book confirms my suspicion that it sucks. While the plot set-up was good, the last third was just unrealistic. 'Finding Jesus' doesn't fix your life in less then a week and no one actually talks like this. The ending was pat and not real to the characters. This book was written more to teach a lesson about Christ then to tell a story.
August 24, 2012
I got this book at an Evangelical church conference, and I have to say... This book changed my life. I don't know, I guess before I was kind of oblivious, but after this book my eyes were opened to all of the tragedy going on all over the world. If you are ever looking for an inspirational book, Pick this book up.
November 16, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
as far as these stupid books go, i would say that this is the most realistic one. the others are like jesus saved my anorexia or jesus saved my friends suicide or jesus saved my SELF HARM..? alll of these cannot be solved with a snap of a finger the way they are in these books. this one, though, makes the most sense and overall is the most well-rounded in the series.
still trash though because although it is the most realistic, it is the LEAST entertaining.
if you want to listen to a girl complain for 206 pages, i think i've found your answer.
as far as these stupid books go, i would say that this is the most realistic one. the others are like jesus saved my anorexia or jesus saved my friends suicide or jesus saved my SELF HARM..? alll of these cannot be solved with a snap of a finger the way they are in these books. this one, though, makes the most sense and overall is the most well-rounded in the series.
still trash though because although it is the most realistic, it is the LEAST entertaining.
if you want to listen to a girl complain for 206 pages, i think i've found your answer.
March 25, 2015
I almost gave this book a very low rating.
Okay, there are a few things you need to know before reading this book. One, you will most likely enjoy this book if you find high school drama and/or redemption stories interesting. And two, if you don’t like Christian-themed books or stories then you probably won’t like this one. I usually wait till after I’ve read a book to check out its reviews on Goodreads, and after scanning through the reviews on this series, I saw that the ratings were a jumble of highs and lows, but the issue with those who hated it and called it “bull”, among other things, is because of its genre. This is a Christian, YA novel for Christian girls going through high school. If you’re not a Christian but are a teen looking for guidance in your life, this might just be the book for you. But, Holy God, if you don’t like Christian books, don’t read them! There’s too much hate in this world already.
This was a blind date for me. I grabbed it off the shelf in my library’s YA section (honestly, it was because I liked the cover but had no idea what it was about) and was more than pleased to find that it was a Christian fiction after walking out the door. But less than pleased when I got to page 40 and we were right where we started at page 1.
The majority of this book is pretty much a girl (Kara) sludging through a potent mix of this-is-the-end-of-my-life teen angst and depression because her best friend since kindergarten ditched her to become a cheerleader in their first semester of high school. Up until page 140 or so I couldn’t figure out how this was a Christian fiction and I was getting pretty frustrated reaching a new chapter only to find Kara going through yet another situation with her depression. I wanted to give it 1 star. I was even thinking of not finishing the book altogether—until the dull suspense let way for the reveal and the main point to all this Debbie-downerness gave the book a whole new meaning.
I can’t recall a book a book that’s played that twist card recently. I’m not talking about a Ted DekKer or Shyamalan twist. Melody Carlson kept me in a storm of adolescent emotions for the majority of the book to a point that I was sick of it, so when the clouds parted, and a remedy was found for our protagonist it was all the more relieving. An interesting and even refreshing feeling.
I am a Christian. I’m not the super kind that pray over 100 times a day or see worldy things as pure sin (some of my favorite bands are Die Antwoord and Five Finger Death Punch) but I do believe that going to church regularly honors God and I do believe in the Holy Spirit and that we can have a personal relationship with our creator, so I was completely comfortable with the salvation story that turned this book around; I also believe that what Kara experienced with God is a true thing that can happen. But I say again, if that makes you uneasy or you reject that idea then don’t read this book. Several stringed reviews commented that they didn’t like Christian-fiction and that this kind of thing couldn’t really happen. Why did they read it if they didn’t like the genre in the first place? Of course they’re not going to like it.
But to me, after being stuck in a rut of reading dark fantasy and adult fiction for a long period of time, this was a refreshing reminder of how God feels about me and wetted my appetite for getting back into this genre. I don’t know if I’d continue with the series naturally, but maybe I’ll grab the next one when I feel like an uplifting YA. I’m going to be honest, I liked this way more than The Fault in our Stars--not because it was more interesting, but because it had hope. There definitely need to be more positivity in YA instead of the cold hard face of reality leading you nowhere with your life. Thanks, Melody Carlson for reminding who I am.
Okay, there are a few things you need to know before reading this book. One, you will most likely enjoy this book if you find high school drama and/or redemption stories interesting. And two, if you don’t like Christian-themed books or stories then you probably won’t like this one. I usually wait till after I’ve read a book to check out its reviews on Goodreads, and after scanning through the reviews on this series, I saw that the ratings were a jumble of highs and lows, but the issue with those who hated it and called it “bull”, among other things, is because of its genre. This is a Christian, YA novel for Christian girls going through high school. If you’re not a Christian but are a teen looking for guidance in your life, this might just be the book for you. But, Holy God, if you don’t like Christian books, don’t read them! There’s too much hate in this world already.
This was a blind date for me. I grabbed it off the shelf in my library’s YA section (honestly, it was because I liked the cover but had no idea what it was about) and was more than pleased to find that it was a Christian fiction after walking out the door. But less than pleased when I got to page 40 and we were right where we started at page 1.
The majority of this book is pretty much a girl (Kara) sludging through a potent mix of this-is-the-end-of-my-life teen angst and depression because her best friend since kindergarten ditched her to become a cheerleader in their first semester of high school. Up until page 140 or so I couldn’t figure out how this was a Christian fiction and I was getting pretty frustrated reaching a new chapter only to find Kara going through yet another situation with her depression. I wanted to give it 1 star. I was even thinking of not finishing the book altogether—until the dull suspense let way for the reveal and the main point to all this Debbie-downerness gave the book a whole new meaning.
I can’t recall a book a book that’s played that twist card recently. I’m not talking about a Ted DekKer or Shyamalan twist. Melody Carlson kept me in a storm of adolescent emotions for the majority of the book to a point that I was sick of it, so when the clouds parted, and a remedy was found for our protagonist it was all the more relieving. An interesting and even refreshing feeling.
I am a Christian. I’m not the super kind that pray over 100 times a day or see worldy things as pure sin (some of my favorite bands are Die Antwoord and Five Finger Death Punch) but I do believe that going to church regularly honors God and I do believe in the Holy Spirit and that we can have a personal relationship with our creator, so I was completely comfortable with the salvation story that turned this book around; I also believe that what Kara experienced with God is a true thing that can happen. But I say again, if that makes you uneasy or you reject that idea then don’t read this book. Several stringed reviews commented that they didn’t like Christian-fiction and that this kind of thing couldn’t really happen. Why did they read it if they didn’t like the genre in the first place? Of course they’re not going to like it.
But to me, after being stuck in a rut of reading dark fantasy and adult fiction for a long period of time, this was a refreshing reminder of how God feels about me and wetted my appetite for getting back into this genre. I don’t know if I’d continue with the series naturally, but maybe I’ll grab the next one when I feel like an uplifting YA. I’m going to be honest, I liked this way more than The Fault in our Stars--not because it was more interesting, but because it had hope. There definitely need to be more positivity in YA instead of the cold hard face of reality leading you nowhere with your life. Thanks, Melody Carlson for reminding who I am.
March 7, 2018
I wanted so badly to like this book—no, correct that. I wanted so badly for this to be a good book. If it was, then I have tons of more Melody Carlson books to dive into! But unfortunately, Dark Blue wasn’t that good at all.
On the positive side, I really liked the Christian elements, and loved the way the characters come to know God. That aspect of the storyline I felt was done realistically and I really liked.
However, the rest of the book was questionable. There was nothing directly inappropriate, but there was a lot of negative elements. It was written from first-person and incredibly realistic, but in this case it wasn’t a good thing. Since it was written from a teenager’s perspective, it sounds just how teenagers write in texts or in comments. It was incredibly casual and lazy, and the writing wasn’t that good at all either. The amount of times the word ‘stupid’ ‘idiot’ etc appeared was enough to drive me up a wall! Every other sentence the narrator was calling something else or herself or someone else or herself or herself “stupid”! It was ridiculous.
The plot was very predictable and the main character was very unlikeable. I’m sorry, but it was impossible to like her. She was relatable in some areas but for the most part she was whiny and wrapped up in her own sorrows. I get that Kara was in a difficult situation—with her best friend ditching her for the ‘cool crowd’—but it was extremely, extremely overdone. It sounded dramatic and cheesy. The characters were also very, very predictable. It was hard to sympathize with Kara or any of her problems, even though they are doubtlessly problems. Her view on the world is so cliche—with people sorted as ‘nerds’ ‘cool’ ‘uncool’; it got really old really fast. I did appreciate the messages that were sent about popularity, though.
At the end of the day, it had enough positive themes and a strong enough Christian message that I didn’t hate it. However, there was too much negative elements that it really doesn’t go beyond being “okay”. I guess there wasn’t anything directly wrong, it was just too sloppily written and predictable to be anything really amazing. 2.5 stars.
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On the positive side, I really liked the Christian elements, and loved the way the characters come to know God. That aspect of the storyline I felt was done realistically and I really liked.
However, the rest of the book was questionable. There was nothing directly inappropriate, but there was a lot of negative elements. It was written from first-person and incredibly realistic, but in this case it wasn’t a good thing. Since it was written from a teenager’s perspective, it sounds just how teenagers write in texts or in comments. It was incredibly casual and lazy, and the writing wasn’t that good at all either. The amount of times the word ‘stupid’ ‘idiot’ etc appeared was enough to drive me up a wall! Every other sentence the narrator was calling something else or herself or someone else or herself or herself “stupid”! It was ridiculous.
The plot was very predictable and the main character was very unlikeable. I’m sorry, but it was impossible to like her. She was relatable in some areas but for the most part she was whiny and wrapped up in her own sorrows. I get that Kara was in a difficult situation—with her best friend ditching her for the ‘cool crowd’—but it was extremely, extremely overdone. It sounded dramatic and cheesy. The characters were also very, very predictable. It was hard to sympathize with Kara or any of her problems, even though they are doubtlessly problems. Her view on the world is so cliche—with people sorted as ‘nerds’ ‘cool’ ‘uncool’; it got really old really fast. I did appreciate the messages that were sent about popularity, though.
At the end of the day, it had enough positive themes and a strong enough Christian message that I didn’t hate it. However, there was too much negative elements that it really doesn’t go beyond being “okay”. I guess there wasn’t anything directly wrong, it was just too sloppily written and predictable to be anything really amazing. 2.5 stars.
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http://jcbuchanan.com
June 28, 2018
I wanted to like this book. And for the first two or three chapters, I did. But then it got annoying, and this is why:
1. KARA IS WHINY. Kara, our protagonist, is angsty and depressed all. the. time. And not in a relatable way or a way that makes you sympathize with her. It's just plain annoying. She can barely take a step without bursting into tears because her only friend in the world, Jordan, has dumped her (despite the fact that Jordan talks to Kara almost everyday in the halls and keeps asking Kara what's wrong).
2. KARA IS WHINY. I feel like I have to reiterate this. It was just so distracting. So distracting, in fact, that....
3. THE BOOK BECOMES DULL VERY QUICKLY. I couldn't get past chapter five. Kara was just moping with no end in sight. She moped as she made a sandwich. She moped as she walked down the street. She moped in her bed. She moped at the school dance. I didn't see the story moving forward anytime soon, so I put it down.
Again, I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. I've read other books by Melody Carlson and loved them (The Diary of a Teenage Girl series was very good). But, I'm sad to say, Dark Blue wasn't able to hold my interest.
2/5
1. KARA IS WHINY. Kara, our protagonist, is angsty and depressed all. the. time. And not in a relatable way or a way that makes you sympathize with her. It's just plain annoying. She can barely take a step without bursting into tears because her only friend in the world, Jordan, has dumped her (despite the fact that Jordan talks to Kara almost everyday in the halls and keeps asking Kara what's wrong).
2. KARA IS WHINY. I feel like I have to reiterate this. It was just so distracting. So distracting, in fact, that....
3. THE BOOK BECOMES DULL VERY QUICKLY. I couldn't get past chapter five. Kara was just moping with no end in sight. She moped as she made a sandwich. She moped as she walked down the street. She moped in her bed. She moped at the school dance. I didn't see the story moving forward anytime soon, so I put it down.
Again, I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. I've read other books by Melody Carlson and loved them (The Diary of a Teenage Girl series was very good). But, I'm sad to say, Dark Blue wasn't able to hold my interest.
2/5
August 29, 2012
Let me just say that this book wasn't completely boring and impossible to read without falling asleep.
BUT! I thought it was completely unrealistic. First off, today's teenagers do not say things like "crud" and "hooey" and "she said a four letter word". I hate when writers try to write about a serious topic and they sugar coat it with mild language.
I also agree with people who thought that Kara was melodramatic and whiney to the extreme! But although that was mildly irritating, that wasn't my main problem with this book.
My main problem with this book is how SUDDENLY right at the end, it got all preachy and annoying. Look, I believe in God and I am the farthest thing from an atheist.
But the fact that suddenly Kara sees the light and "lets Jesus in" and her life is all peaches and cream is complete bullshit. That just pissed me off. Especially how right after that, Edgar's crackhead mother kills herself and OH IT'S OKAY GUYS BECAUSE KARA LET JESUS IN, SO EVERYTHING IS GOOD. I just thought the book was a very weak attempt at promoting Christian beliefs. Disappointing.
April 6, 2017
I thought the book was very good, Melody Carlson is very good at writing books that pertain to what is going on in teens lives to a T. I finished this book in like 3 hours, it was sooo good I just couldn't put it down.
The book is about a very shy girl named Kara Hendricks. Kara and her best friend Jordan Ferguson have been friends since kindergarten but didn't once they hit their Sophomore year in high school they suddenly become very distant from each other, Jordan makes the cheerleading squad and Kara is into art. Jordan starts hanging out with the popular crowd and Kara is hanging with the "weirdos" from art club. Kara feels as if her world has come to a crashing halt, without Jordan, is it that she can't function without her outgoing friend. Can she figure out how to fill the empty space that Jordan left can she escape the ultimate depression from loneliness? Is there anybody that cares about her anymore?
The book is about a very shy girl named Kara Hendricks. Kara and her best friend Jordan Ferguson have been friends since kindergarten but didn't once they hit their Sophomore year in high school they suddenly become very distant from each other, Jordan makes the cheerleading squad and Kara is into art. Jordan starts hanging out with the popular crowd and Kara is hanging with the "weirdos" from art club. Kara feels as if her world has come to a crashing halt, without Jordan, is it that she can't function without her outgoing friend. Can she figure out how to fill the empty space that Jordan left can she escape the ultimate depression from loneliness? Is there anybody that cares about her anymore?
December 8, 2008
The beginning to Dark Blue followed Kara as she began to have differences with her once best friend, Jordan. Her friend starts hanging out with the popular crowd and Kara becomes a "loser." She repeatedly claimed that she didn't want to be friends with Jordan, though she constantly whines and complains about how they are not friends anymore.
In the second half of Dark Blue, Kara makes new friends, one of whom convinces her to go to Bible Study with him. She quickly allows "Jesus into her heart." As a teen who is not religious, this part of the book confused me. Whenever something bad happened, Kara would comment that she was comforted by the fact that she knew God was responsible for it. That would have made me more upset, but hey...
I have several friends who thoroughly enjoyed this book. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea.
In the second half of Dark Blue, Kara makes new friends, one of whom convinces her to go to Bible Study with him. She quickly allows "Jesus into her heart." As a teen who is not religious, this part of the book confused me. Whenever something bad happened, Kara would comment that she was comforted by the fact that she knew God was responsible for it. That would have made me more upset, but hey...
I have several friends who thoroughly enjoyed this book. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea.
May 3, 2014
This book is about two girls one names Jordan the other named Kara. The book focuses on how their friendship how they became friends and how they stopped being friends. Also, tells lets us know how Kara feels about the whole situation. During the beginning half of the book Kara is seriously sad and depressed with losing her best friend. The other half tells us the new friends Kara made and how she recovers.
I feel like this book can relate to a lot of teenagers that lost their best friend and feel like their life ended. Personally I enjoyed this book because I could imagine what was happening how everything looked. Also, if anyone has lost a friend they should read this book because they could probably relate to Kara. The author did a good job with the details, description, and dialogue. I would recommend this book to my friends.
I feel like this book can relate to a lot of teenagers that lost their best friend and feel like their life ended. Personally I enjoyed this book because I could imagine what was happening how everything looked. Also, if anyone has lost a friend they should read this book because they could probably relate to Kara. The author did a good job with the details, description, and dialogue. I would recommend this book to my friends.
March 17, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I enjoyed it so much I am already starting the second book. I think this book really made me realize that Jesus Christ is my best friend. I can honestly say, when I first transferred schools, I wasn't to happy about it! When I got there, I was the only girl in my class, and I wasn't allowed to wear things that I wore daily (e.g. pants, shirts with graphics, sandals) in public school. On top of that, I missed all my good teachers and close friends. I even became bitter. After I read this book, I have had to make some adjustments to my life where I was comfortable, but where I was also pleasing and doing God's will. I would recommend this book who loves Jesus Christ, or maybe doesn't even know who He is, and to someone who has maybe lost a good friend whether it being due to traveling, change of schools, or conflict.
January 5, 2010
Dark Blue is the first book in the True Colors series and is a depressing one but it gets better! Kara Hendricks "used" to be best friends with Jordan Ferguson that is until Jordan joins the popular crowd and leaves Kara behind feeling "dark blue" and feeling friendless. Kara wanders around her house in most parts of the book. She also skips school sometimes! One day at school Kara meets the school nerd Edgar Peebles and the school goth girl Amy. Edgar teaches Kara that she does have a best friend and that is Jesus. First Kara thinks that Edgar is just being a geek but then she realizes that he is right after she invites Jesus into her heart! Melody Carlson has done a wonderful job again on a great book for teenagers that really does teach you about friendship.
March 19, 2015
I really REALLY enjoyed this book. At first it was depressing, but it really was necessary for the reader to understand just how bad Kara's life was. Her journey with God was touching, and I enjoyed watching her life completely change. I definitely can relate to her since I'm a Christian as well. I haven't read that much Christian fiction, but this one didn't let me down. I'm excited to read the sequel. I enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Edger. Although, most of the times the outcome of witnessing isn't this great, it's still possible. This book made me laugh, cry, sad, angry and happy. I would definitely recommend this book for someone on the fence about Christianity. Or just a Christian who likes YA.
November 20, 2015
I thought that the book was very good. I would recommend this book to many people. Although it wasn't the best book I've ever read, it had a great meaning to it. It just shows that when you think your alone because people that never really cared left you, you still have the people that are always there for you. My favorite part was when she was getting to know more people in her class. The one kid was considered a geek but was a good person and she never really realized that until she actually got to know him. She ends up discovering the real importance of friendship and the people that will truely be there for her when she thinks shes lonely.
December 9, 2012
I have read all of Melody Carlson's books. Carlson's book relate to things that teenagers go through and how they can face the situation with a Christian outlook. This particular book was about popularity and the in crowd. It showed how friendships can change so quickly based on another friend joining a different crowd. It also shows that being popular is not the most important aspect of life. I love reading her books because they can help me face certain situations.
September 3, 2019
2.5*
I'm kind of on the fence about this one. On the one hand, i was able to relate to Kara and understand why she reacted the way she did to Jordan's sudden popularity. On the other hand, i think anyone who couldn't relate would find Kara really annoying and whiny. Even i think it dragged on too long. The decisions of the characters were also not always believable. It was too simple. I think there could have been a lot more depth to the story.
I'm kind of on the fence about this one. On the one hand, i was able to relate to Kara and understand why she reacted the way she did to Jordan's sudden popularity. On the other hand, i think anyone who couldn't relate would find Kara really annoying and whiny. Even i think it dragged on too long. The decisions of the characters were also not always believable. It was too simple. I think there could have been a lot more depth to the story.
Read
June 3, 2014This was an amazing book.It is the first of Melody Carlson's "color" series-about 12 books I think. This book deals with depression and insecurity. Her other books deal with divorcing parents,alcohol,drugs,suicide,sex,and more. A must read for any teenager. Particularly girls,since all of the books are at a female's point of view. I've read this book 2 times. Great books that always lead back to compassion,leadership,and Christ.
September 3, 2015
Dark Blue is really a good book for a teenage girl ages 14 or 15. Being 17 years old, I found it very young reading. However, it was interesting to see Kara's relationship with Jesus develop. I love reading about Jesus' impact on others (even fictional). The author did a really great job in describing the settings as well. I could actually see the school dances and cafeteria. I would recommend this book to young teenagers, especially girls who are lonely.
December 22, 2008
This is the first book in this series. It is about a girl who feels abandoned by her friend and feels extremely lonely and alone.One reason I like this series is the fact that the author, Melody Carlson, writes in a very appealing way and the story seems very believable. It is a story most people can relate to!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2015
I just finished this book last night. It opened up a new door for me. God is starting to work on my life. I can feel it. God is about to do something huge in my life. When I read this book, I felt sad at first, but then I just kept feeling better and better. This girl`s whole life changed because she opened up and let God in.
January 9, 2008
I thought that this book was really boring , I stoped in the middle of it because it kept on going on and on about how kara felt bad because her friend ditched her, I was disapointed because I really like this author.
Want to read
March 7, 2014Kara is ditched by her best friend in highschool. She becomes depressed and doesn't even want to live anymore. But once she accepts Christ as her Savior and becomes a Christian she has a new outlook on life. This book is a very good book!
February 1, 2013
This really related to my life and that's why I enjoyed it. It was about friendship problems and is a christian book. The last sentence really made me feel like I ended the book with a good ending. I really want to read the second book since it's from another person's perspective.
June 7, 2013
This book brings up a lot of really good questions. It is about how friendships in school can often end when different paths are chosen. It is good to think about which path we can take when we feel lonely and depressed. Religious bits come through which makes it nice, too.
May 26, 2015
This was a fairly good Christian YA novel. It shows how a teenage girl goes through a period of depression after she's dropped by her best friend and then finds some new friends and subsequently Christ. It was a simply written novel, but it was well done, and the characters were drawn well also.
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