I was really interested to read this book because I enjoy Calahan Skogman’s work in other mediums and was recommended this by someone whose book preferences are very similar to mine. Unfortunately, this book seems to be the exception to those rules. It seems like exactly the kind of book I would like and showed every indication of being well-written, but I just couldn’t get into it. It is not always that a book grabs me right away, so I try to give those which don’t a fair chance by reading further in hopes that some part will glimmer enough to catch my attention. There is only so far I will persevere, however, before it seems harder to finish the book than to move on from it. I did not finish this book, so I feel that should be noted as it is likely my rating is based solely on a compatibility error. I would be interested to revisit this maybe after some time to see if it suits my taste better, but I will leave it at this for now.

DNF 10%
Not for me. It’s not sure whether it wants to be literary fiction about small town America or just YA. Overwritten and trying too hard.

I’d prefer not to give a star rating as I didn’t finish but from what I read so far it’s heading for 2stars.

I saw the synopsis and immediately was drawn to this book. I wanna start by saying that I’m usually a fan of slow books and character driven books, but this book really wasn’t for me. I kept getting distracted and glazing over chapters when reading on kindle, so I switched over to audio. It was definitely a lot better. Cash, our MC is trying to find his place in life and randomly he meets this girl whom he has never seen before and he’s immediately enthralled. This book isn’t really a romance in my opinion, although it was a romance subplot, and a lot of the plot centers around this girl, it fell flat. I liked the found family aspect and the just trying to find myself in this world plot, but not enough to find out how the story ends. So I DNF’ed. This is not to say this is a bad book, I am sure so many other people would love this story, and Calahan’s beautiful writing. It just wasn’t for me.

Calahan Skogman I love you so much, but this just didn't land for me. I'm so sorry, forgive me.

I saved this to read on my birthday when I took the day off and just wanted to get lost in a book. But unfortunately I ended up DNFing this. I know this was an unedited copy, but it really needed at least someone to run through it for basic grammatical fixes because it made it really hard to read.

I only made it a few chapters in because it was so hard to follow. There were multiple points where several people would be talking, but they were all in the same paragraph, and not all of them had dialogue tags, so you would have to read it several times to really understand that it was a new person talking.

I wanted to love this. I had heard good things and so many people I absolutely adore were promoting it, and I love Cal, but alas!

The poetic storytelling in Blue Graffiti by Calahan Skogman explores themes of self-discovery, connection, and memory. The story is filled with snapshots of rural life in Midwestern America and personal reflection, written in a way that feels both raw and heartfelt.

At first, I found it hard to get into the story—it felt like there was no clear thread tying it all together. The ARC I read was still being revised, which became clear when I later switched to the audiobook after the book's release. The atmosphere came alive, with Calahan Skogman’s voice fitting the story perfectly. It was such a moving experience that I ended up in tears.

While the love story serves as the central thread and is both beautiful and raw, the book ultimately delves into something deeper: finding your place in the world, understanding the meaning of friendships, and celebrating a love for the Midwest. Having lived in the Midwest for a year and visited some of the places mentioned, I felt a deep connection to the story. Visiting the region always feels like coming home, and that sentiment is beautifully captured throughout the book.

This is a story that lingers.

The summary of this book implies that it is a romance, which it kind of is, but more broadly, it is about finding a sense of belonging and purpose in life, about grief and family, and about the different forms love can take. It was very poetically written, which was beautiful in some parts, but I found it drawn out and many descriptions unnecessarily long and complicated. If you are someone who reads for plot, this is not the book for you. It is character-driven, emotional and reflective expose more so than it is a plot-focused story.

I personally found it difficult to get into and I often found myself glazing over the lengthy philosophical meanderings. The whole book could have been written in about 50 pages. A lot of it felt like fluff. The author seemed to like to repeat words/phrases every so often for dramatic effect and emphasis, which can be an effective poetic technique, but it was quite overused in this book.

I would have liked to see the romance develop more. There are only a few scenes where the main character and love interest actually meet, and even less that involve them saying words to each other or doing something together. Also things felt very abrupt with the romance, which didn't track with the pacing of the rest of the story or how the main character spoke about his life and feelings about other things, like his parents.

In conclusion, this book was just okay. Not a lot happens, and the romance aspect is lacking, but the character thinks a lot and the writing is very poetic. If you like to read books that are mostly plot-focused, this likely isn't the book for you.

Reading Blue Graffiti by Calahan Skogman felt like stepping into a quiet yet profound slice of life. Skogman’s ability to capture the soul of small-town America resonated with me deeply. Cash, the protagonist, is a character whose struggles and introspections felt intensely real. His connection to his hometown and his longing for something beyond the familiar hit close to home, especially as he navigated his grief and the magnetic pull of a new love interest, Rose.

What stood out the most was the lyrical quality of the writing. Every description of Johnston, Wisconsin—the fields, the bar, the quiet streets—felt like a painting coming to life. Skogman’s prose has a way of turning the mundane into something magical. The book isn’t just about romance; it’s about finding meaning in the ordinary, grappling with the past, and rediscovering oneself through relationships and the landscapes that shape us.

I found the pacing slow at times, but it felt deliberate—like an invitation to savor the details and reflect alongside Cash. The romance with Rose was understated, not the sweeping kind, but it was beautifully tender and authentic. For me, this book wasn’t just about the love story but about learning to see beauty and value in the life you’ve always known.

If you enjoy introspective, character-driven stories with poetic writing, Blue Graffiti is a gem worth discovering.

This is simply the case where I love the author and find him incredibly talented, but I was so expecting a style this literary. It is a beautiful style, but I feel a touch not smart enough to understand it.

I dont think this book is for me, I did both try reading it as a ebook and audiobook, but nothing really happens there. I mean it was really calming and beautifully written if I look at it as poetry, the thing is...I'm not the biggest fan of meandering books like that. I think it would definitely be more captivating for someone who loves good poetry, as it is really showing the point of view of slow small town life in the US.
I get that not much might happen there, but the drinking and the thoughts that go around and around in the main character Cash's head as he'd thought or percieve everything happening around him. It was also really hard to understand dialogue between people because it wasnt specified who said what at all.
Overall, this book was not for me. I did enjoy Calahan's narration and honestly was listening to it and got as far as i got (stopped around 60% read) because it was really calming and I had a long day driving around in my car and it was nice company for that. I dont want to rate it 1-2 ⭐️ just because this book wasnt for me because I truly believe that someone that enjoys more poetry will love this book a lot.

Skogman combines vivid imagery with compelling storytelling, creating relatable characters who navigate their struggles and aspirations. The narrative balances introspection and the raw energy of street culture, making it both thought-provoking and engaging.

This was out of my usual wheelhouse and makes me want to explore other genres more.

Calahan Skogman has written a beautiful story about a small town, the people and the beauty and tradgedy of ordinary life.

This ultimately was not for me. A slow slow look at a small town (maybe?) and some guys talking guy things but with no attribution as to who was speaking. So pages of dialogue and I was lost as to who said what. My kingdom for a "John said." I desperately wanted to like it because I loved the author in Shadow & Bone but I just could not.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

I'm confused about how to review this book. On the one hand the prose was beautiful, but the story itself was not compelling nor did I find the characters interesting enough. Still, I think Calahan Skogman has a gift and hopefully his next venture will be better.

Plus this is how I find out the man is American and not British like the S&B cast.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book!

I am so incredibly sad that I didn't enjoy this no matter how hard I tried but I think it just wasn't the right time for this story. I did however push through and managed to finish it since I adore Calahan as an actor. Highly hope that I'll enjoy his future releases more than I did this!

I feel bad writing this review, since I kindly received this eARC through NetGalley, but in the name of being honest, I simply did not like it.

Let’s start with a positive, I think this book had a clear tone it was going for and stuck to it. Very meandering, small town, and low stakes.

Which leads me to my biggest criticism which was the plot. To me, nothing really happened in this book, and since it’s almost 400 pages, that makes it a bit of a drag to get through. The majority of this book is the main character contemplating about his life in this small town, Johnston and thinking about the people that live in this small town.

The writing didn’t particularly stand out to me either and the main character was not someone I connected with all that much, since his main interests were drinking, smoking and Johnston.

I’m sad I didn’t enjoy this more but I do think this is a book that could work for those ho want a low stakes small town literary fiction.

A wonderful debut from Calahan Skogman, not my usual read but it was very well written. Thanks to The Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

i loved this so much i finished it in one sitting! the writing is so beautiful and i'm so excited to follow this author's career.

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

He is such a beautiful writer, I would have read a stream of consciousness blog from him. This isn't my usual genre but I'm glad he's writing!

This is such an impressive and beautiful debut novel. From the very first page. His lyrical prose and deeply emotive writing reveal the care and passion he poured into every word. This debut is truly something special, and I can't wait to see what he creates next!!!

blue graffiti is calahan skogman‘s debut novel and, what can i say, i really enjoyed it. while this genre is not what i read normally, the writing was so authentic and beautiful that after the needed time to get into the book, i was immersed into the story. while it is not very action packed, some of the passages about love or life or whatever were super memorable and well written! overall a very solid read and a great debut novel!!