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Still Waters

by Emma Carlson Berne (Goodreads Author)

3.16 of 5 stars 3.16 · rating details · 422 ratings · 94 reviews

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He's leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they'll never forget.

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even t

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Paperback, 212 pages

Published December 20th 2011 by Simon Pulse (first published December 1st 2011)

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Nov 22, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: psychological-thriller, young-adult, read-2011, heroines-wimpy, 2011-publication, cover-fraud

Let's see if I can sum up this book in two short paragraphs:

The concept behind Still Waters reminded me a lot of The Shining*, in that it's about a not-very-bright girl named Hannah who goes to an isolated lake house for a romantic getaway, and once they're there, her boyfriend Colin starts acting really weird. Except that, unlike that other masterpiece of horror, there isn't any snow. Or tension. Or creepiness.

Unfortunately, while I liked the basic idea behind the book, this very short novel c...more

59 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2011 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, mystery-thriller

I've noticed a few people compare this to The Shining. But (and yes you'll think I've been living under a rock… but… it's a very pretty rock!) I've never read or watched The Shining so to me this was all new and extremely creepy. I went into Still Waters expecting a really ominous plot with a not always bright protagonist - like your average horror flick, and that's what I got. Still Waters is fun, freaky and got my adrenalin pumping.

Hannah decides to go on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend,...more I've noticed a few people compare this to The Shining. But (and yes you'll think I've been living under a rock… but… it's a very pretty rock!) I've never read or watched The Shining so to me this was all new and extremely creepy. I went into Still Waters expecting a really ominous plot with a not always bright protagonist - like your average horror flick, and that's what I got. Still Waters is fun, freaky and got my adrenalin pumping.

Hannah decides to go on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Colin, to his old summer home in the middle of nowhere (don't ask me!?). When they get there things take a very strange turn when Colin starts acting like he's gone mad. This is the type of story I just eat up. I love the mystery, the suspense and simply scaring myself by imagining being in their shoes. I have mixed feelings about Hannah, though. She is a fun protagonist that I was able to connect with, but I also wanted to scream at her for some of her decisions and how she can be really oblivious. I did enjoy her relationship with Colin which is awfully cute. They've already been together for a year so there's none of the drama and angst of a new love, though, there is still romance and plenty of admiration.

From the reviews I have read, it seems like we all agree on one thing - the ending could have been so much more. I had many fun, complex theories that I hoped would be close to how it ended. But the actual ending is very bland and disappointing. Some might even find it has no 'ending' at all; that the book is simply over.

So, after all this, why do I give it a high rating? Well, you know how expectations affect satisfaction? Since I had seen reviews beforehand, I knew what to expect. Even though I agree the ending is a downer, it doesn't turn it into a bad book, it's merely not as exceptional as it had the potential to be had it had a shocking twist. Personally, with the actions scenes so incredibly realistic, I couldn't help but find this book exhilarating. In fact, I was so into it that every noise I heard at home freaked me out. I had to quit reading until daytime. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat, reading like a maniac to find out what would happen next. Being a real thriller nut, it would take more than the lack of a monumental ending to make me say that this is not an extremely fun, creepy book.(less)

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Dec 18, 2011 Hope rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: pulse-it, stand-alone, bleh, cover-love, atmospheric

Well....that ended rather abruptly. It was getting good and intense and scary and then suddenly....it was done, everything was explained simply and that was it. I did enjoy it up until the ending, the characters were interesting, the setting eerie, and the pace(once again only until the end) was excellent. I also loved the cover, which is what first drew me to the book.

Edit: I almost forgot: "He ate manfully." Really? ...

Edit 2: After talking with my sister about my feelings on the book I am ch...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Emma Louise rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bought

This could have been so much better than it was. The premise is still quite interesting to me however this book was certainly not executed the way I had hoped it would have been. It was boring, the characters were dull and cliche and without an inch of personality, and honestly nothing really interesting happened. The writing was hollow and repetitive, using the same descriptions over and over, and none of the excitement or anticipation was there at all. It was awkward and lacked a lot in many a...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

I just finished this book and I had to rush downstairs to get my review done quickly... lest the entire book escape my memory. Nothing much happened, and it's not the type of book that leaves you thinking long after you're done reading it.

I couldn't really connect to Hannah, the girl you're supposed to really root for and whatnot. The entire time we're told how responsible and reserved and geeky she is, but we never see that. We're told that she does what she's supposed to do and never acts with...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Alise (Readers in Wonderland) rated it 3 of 5 stars

See the review in its entirety and more at Readers In Wonderland

I usually have pretty strong opinions when finishing a book, (cue agreeable scoffs) but this one made my mind pretty jumbled. Did I like this? Was this gold or a horrendously underdeveloped story of nonsense with plot holes? It took me about an hour of the above before I came to this brilliant conclusion: it's both. Kinda. And so the endless cycle resumes.

STILL WATERS reminded me of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories: you are thrown se...more See the review in its entirety and more at Readers In Wonderland

I usually have pretty strong opinions when finishing a book, (cue agreeable scoffs) but this one made my mind pretty jumbled. Did I like this? Was this gold or a horrendously underdeveloped story of nonsense with plot holes? It took me about an hour of the above before I came to this brilliant conclusion: it's both. Kinda. And so the endless cycle resumes.

STILL WATERS reminded me of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories: you are thrown seemingly into the middle of the story with little to no background, scary stuff goes down, and you are left with an ending that doesn't make sense and all your questions are still unanswered. For Poe, this method is gold. I love his novels. The length is what also reminded of this, it is pretty short at around two hundred pages and doesn't tell a lot of story.

This novel is even set up weird, Hannah's boyfriend takes her up to the attic to see the view of the town and she finds a picture of a house and map. She steals the map and doesn't tell her boyfriend where they are headed. Their "romantic" weekend isn't sweet, it's creepy. Basically Hannah wants an opportunity to finally tell her boyfriend that she loves him. Spoiler alert! At the end, she does! Yay. It's almost as if I wanted to tell the story just for the, "I love you" but wanted to throw in some spice (the scary parts) but the scary parts end up being irrelevant, etc.

It is like having a great idea for a specific part in a plot but not knowing how to get there. As a writer, I am quite aware of this problem (fellow NANOWRIMO participants-you know what I mean!) but there has to be a backbone otherwise your great idea is a flimsy as a head without a spine.This could have gone somewhere. This could have been so much bigger.

Disappearing/not caring parents are plentiful in this novel; not only is it extremely easy for a eighteen (seventeen?) year old to create a sketchy web of lies to fool a parent, but four of them. Her mom, her friend's dad, and her boyfriend's parents somehow forget their children are barely legal adults and don't even check up to see where they are going. This is explained away by her friend's dad not being in the story and her boyfriend's parents being alcoholics. How convenient.

I loved the story at first, I thought I was in for a real treat at some parts, I had expected there to be some twist but it never came. In fact, the resolution was pretty dull, it's like telling the reader, "It's okay, nothing happened, everything can be explained in an logical, non-paranormal manner, no need to fear." I want to fear! I want there to be an unexplainable mystery that keeps me up at night!

This is one to summarize and tell around the campfire, but not for a full-fledged novel.

Three stars because I enjoyed the mystery and scary parts (until I found out it was a sham.) This is one to summarize and tell around the campfire, but not for a full-fledged novel.

If you are looking for something to send a chill up your spine, fall back on Poe and Stephen King.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Despair Speaking rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: evil-in-disguise, looks-deceive-you-but-in-a-bad-way, luuuurve, scary-scary, think-until-your-brain-rots, thriller, will-rot-your-brains

Ugh. It sucks. The only good things about it, for me, is the story flow, the consistency, and the nice writing. But almost everything else is bad. It's not creepy whatsoever. I thought Colin simply went insane and I wasn't thrilled at all. In fact, I wished he succeeded in (view spoiler) And the characters were so-so.

Hannah, for one thing, annoys me. It's not the first time I've been bothered so much by a heroine and I doubt it'll be my la...more Ugh. It sucks. The only good things about it, for me, is the story flow, the consistency, and the nice writing. But almost everything else is bad. It's not creepy whatsoever. I thought Colin simply went insane and I wasn't thrilled at all. In fact, I wished he succeeded in (view spoiler) And the characters were so-so.

Hannah, for one thing, annoys me. It's not the first time I've been bothered so much by a heroine and I doubt it'll be my last. Colin already made it clear he doesn't want to go back to the lake house, but she insists. She expects too much from others, but doesn't like others expecting much from her. She stole from Colin's house and lied about it, but she finds it strange that Colin got angry. Hello! Of course he'd be angry! Even if it was supposed to be a good surprise, breaking and entering is still wrong! Not to mention the things you stole brings a strange bad feeling he can't put a finger on! Idiot!

See? She's ANNOYING.

Colin, on the other hand, is okay. Once you find out the reason for his peculiar behavior, you can understand. I like that he's interested in photography since I'm kind of interested in it too. His description makes him sound hot, so that's plus points!!! I just wonder how he puts up with Hannah the idiot. I think her only redeeming feature is that she wants to be completely honest about her feelings when she says, "I love you." Those three words are so overused it's almost lost its meaning altogether and it's nice to see someone use it seriously. I just wished she hurried it up! It's obvious she really loved him and taking her sweet time hurt Colin, which is a a failure for her.

Still, I have to say my favorite character is David. He's young, childish, and cute. Ah, that reminds me. Another reason I find Hannah damn annoying is that she dumped David to an old woman he doesn't like and made him sad for not being there (his mother works a lot and they have no father, which leaves David with only Hannah unfortunately).

It's an easy read but not worth the money or looking pointedly for. You can buy it if you want but it's frankly not recommendable.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Hylary Locsin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Hannah and her boyfriend, Colin, have been dating for a year, but she still cannot seem to open up to him completely. A self-proclaimed “queen of nerds,” Hannah can’t imagine why the gorgeous and popular Colin would like her, let alone tell her he loves her on a regular basis. Hannah wants nothing more than to be able to say those three words back to Colin, but something is keeping her from expres...more Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Hannah and her boyfriend, Colin, have been dating for a year, but she still cannot seem to open up to him completely. A self-proclaimed “queen of nerds,” Hannah can’t imagine why the gorgeous and popular Colin would like her, let alone tell her he loves her on a regular basis. Hannah wants nothing more than to be able to say those three words back to Colin, but something is keeping her from expressing how she feels. Now Colin is going away to college next week, leaving Hannah to finish her senior of high school wondering if he is going to fall in love with someone else. When Hannah learns that his family owns an old vacation home on a remote lake, she decides to take Colin on a surprise road trip: a getaway where she can truly be herself and let him know how she feels. When Hannah and Colin arrive at Pine House, however, things don’t go according to plan. Even though Colin’s family hasn’t been to the house in years, it looks as if someone was just there, with things scattered as if whoever it was left hastily. The closest town is 20 miles away, and is full of abandoned, broken down buildings. And Colin has begun to act strange, having bouts of rage and violence that shock Hannah. Was the trip to Pine House just what Hannah and Colin need to cement their relationship, or will it be the biggest mistake they have ever made?

Creepy and atmospheric, this novel from veteran author Emma Carlson Berne is reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Shining while still being appropriate for a teen audience. The story is both short and uncomplicated, but manages to invoke a feeling of dread the moment the main character, Hannah, discovers an old photo of her boyfriend’s family vacation home. The author excels at enhancing this feeling of dread throughout most of the story, from the descriptions of the decrepit Pine House to the almost abandoned neighboring village of Oxtown. When Hannah’s boyfriend Colin begins to act strangely, the creepiness factor increases several notches, culminating in an exciting if slightly suspected conclusion. Apart from the mystery that drives the plot, there is another element to the story that will resonate with many teen readers: Hannah’s inability to tell her boyfriend that she loves him. The author does a good job of portraying this common problem, making both Hannah and Colin identifiable for readers who have been on both the giving and receiving ends of those three little words. Overall, Still Waters is a spooky and enjoyable read that many teens are sure to enjoy.

As someone with a more than slight fear of the woods, I found myself utterly creeped out at various moments in this novel. I really admire Emma Carlson Berne’s ability to create such a spooky feeling in such a short story. I think this novel would make a great pick for a reluctant teen reader who wants something exciting but to the point. I would also recommend it to anyone who just likes a good, creepy read. (less)

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Mar 29, 2012 Miranda Merrill rated it 2 of 5 stars

Let me start off by saying that this book to me seem like a poor rip-off of the The Shining. Being that I am a Maine Native we love our Stephen King and this book just didn’t make the grade. Still Waters too me was a pretty cover but once you opened it and began reading it wasn’t so pretty anymore.
Still Waters is about Hannah who is planning a romantic weekend getaway with her boyfriend Colin in an old family cabin. Once they get there things start to not feel right and Colin begins to become m...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Have you ever looked at the synopsis of a book and been really excited to read it? Then, you read it and by the last page you are saying "huh??" because you didn't understand any of it? Well....sadly, that is how I felt about this book.

Hannah and Colin are dating. Colin is a super cute guy while Hannah is slightly nerdy and she cannot believe that Colin actually wants to be with her. On Colin's graduation night, he tells Hannah he loves her but she cannot say the words back. Colin is upset and w...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: When I first read the book synopsis, it sort of reminded me of Stephen King’s, The Shining. I knew that I would have to get my hands on this book and see if it were any good. I also loved the cover art, which reminded me of Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. This book sounded like a good scary read for a rainy day!

First 50 Pages: I think I hit the nail on the head when I said that Still Waters is very much like...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: When I first read the book synopsis, it sort of reminded me of Stephen King’s, The Shining. I knew that I would have to get my hands on this book and see if it were any good. I also loved the cover art, which reminded me of Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. This book sounded like a good scary read for a rainy day!

First 50 Pages: I think I hit the nail on the head when I said that Still Waters is very much like The Shining. As I dug deeper into the story, I found some uncanny similarities. In other words, the plot was kind of predictable. I knew for the most part how the story was going to play out once I hit about halfway through the book.

Characters & Plot: Not to say that it wasn’t good, because it was. I loved Emma’s detailed descriptions of Pine House, the creepy abandoned vacation home of Colin’s family. This book had a very good pace to it and the imagery was top notch. Everything is explained in painstaking detail that makes the words really come to life. The author has a talent for making the reader sit on the edge of their seat to find out what will happen, even despite the book’s predictability.

I’m not sure how I feel about Hannah. There were moments that I really liked her and then there were moments where she really frustrated the heck out of me. Hannah was a bit of a goodie-two-shoes. We learn that Hannah never does anything wrong. She doesn’t lie, she doesn’t steal, and she basically is the mom in her household and does everything she can to take care of her little brother and help to support her family. With the impending departure of her boyfriend, Colin, she decided to break all of her rules, just once. So, she lies, she steals, and she leaves her home for a romantic weekend in the middle of nowhere with Colin. She also struggles in the book to tell her boyfriend that she loves him, and much of the plot is focused around that, in my opinion, a little too much.

Colin is another character I am on the fence about. I think his background story could have been better developed, since it was hinted that he came from a wealthy family, but his family story isn’t really thawed out too much. I thought I would have learned more about Colin and his family because of the way the book ended, but I was only given a little bit, enough for the plot to make some sense. I did like how sweet he was with Hannah and how much he obviously wanted her to tell him that he loves him. He was a cute character.

My real problem with this book was the ending. It was very abrupt and I expect more to happen. The action doesn’t really start to kick in until the book is almost over, and then the climax, then nothing. We are given a few pages to wrap everything up and send us on our merry way. It was slightly disappointing. There were a lot of questions I felt needed to be answered (but not necessary) and I never really got my answers.

Final Thoughts: If I had to rate this book based solely on its uniqueness and its conclusion, I probably wouldn’t rate it very high. But, I think the author has a great sense of detail and imagery, which is what made me keep reading. This was a fun book, and it was short so it didn’t take me much time to read through it. If you are looking for something to kill a few hours and you enjoy psychological twists, I would suggest picking up this book. (less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Tara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, reviewed, read-auaugust-2012

The main character is annoying, there is very little tension and/or creepiness, and the book ends (at least the main plot) abruptly.

The writing wasn't terrible, however I never really cared one way or the other about any of the characters. Well, none if them other than the MC, Hannah, whom I considered supremely selfish. Seriously, they could've been picked up by the Death Star & I wouldn't have cared...except to wonder why Vader found them so fascinating.

I kind of loathed Hannah, which is...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not too sure about this book. After reading other reviews, I've seen it compared to The Shining. But since I've never read that book or seen the movie, I'm not sure. I just know that there seemed to be alot of holes in the plot and that it was a psychological thriller.

First off, the characters. I liked Hannah and Colin mostly, but I liked Colin more. He seemed like a sweet guy totally in love with his girl. And while I like Hannah, her obsession with whether or not to say "I love you" kinda...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Rose2468 rated it 2 of 5 stars

The review was published in my blog:
http://readwriteleave.blogspot.com/20...

I pushed myself to read Still Waters when I had the chance though I could sense it was not the book for me. Though it definitely had the potential to become a great one, I felt disappointment while reading it.

Still Waters tell us about a couple who leave the city for the weekend. Colin is going to leave for college in a few days and Hannah can't let him go without them having fun together for the last time. So, they're...more The review was published in my blog:
http://readwriteleave.blogspot.com/20...

I pushed myself to read Still Waters when I had the chance though I could sense it was not the book for me. Though it definitely had the potential to become a great one, I felt disappointment while reading it.

Still Waters tell us about a couple who leave the city for the weekend. Colin is going to leave for college in a few days and Hannah can't let him go without them having fun together for the last time. So, they're on their way to The Pine House when things get weird.

Let's start with the characters; Colin, even before things have gone wrong, wasn't someone I'd like. He seems to love Hannah but I felt he was arrogant and self-centered too. Hannah, in the other way, always acts for her family. I admired her for that but then she would come out with strange thoughts, she was too much worried and it didn't make any sense, she was paranoid. Moreover, she let Colin controls their conversations and their actions. Both characters were not built as good as I hoped for and during the book I didn't learn almost anything new about them- as, why is Hannah acting this way? What happened between the two of them in the time they were together?
If I had explanations, maybe I could have get it. If only could I get it, I would believe it.

The plot drove me crazy. I can understand when the beginning is a bit slow, but how far? Up to half the book, I felt nothing for each characters and I wouldn't mind to stop reading. When it becomes interesting, the regular things came back- this certaintly was the longest weekend in my life. I think the author should have included more events in the book. At some point, I got tired of reading about them doing the usual, eating and sleeping. You have the whole weekend, get out and find some great thing to do! And when Hannah started to sense things, I didn't get why she should be scared. I wasn't. (Until some a very far chapter)

The writing was good, but nothing special. In some parts, the narrator would have jumped from one subject to another without any relation between them. I didn't like that, but I mostly enjoyed the writing.

I found in the book a lot of things I didn't like and I think this book wasn't meant for me. I knew from the very beginning (the blurb) that chances I won't like it are high. However, I believe this book is good and some people can enjoy it a lot more that I did. My opinion is- If you find the blurb interesting, give this book a try.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) added it

Shelves: pulse-it-arc, standalone, young-adult-fiction, unfinished-or-couldn-t-finish, 2012-reviews, 2012-reads, reviewed, arc

I'm a person that likes finality, that craves it in all things. That kind of person that likes having all the answers and knowing exactly what lead up to those final conclusions. I mean, I used to peek at the final page of every book I bought ~~I still totally do this~~ just to glance at who might survive, scared to get attached to doomed characters.

For these reasons, I don't like to give up on books. For a looong time, I hardly ever ever did. I'm talking like maybe four out of hundreds in the last...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Aparajitabasu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, thriller, young-adult, romance

Book covers do wonders to a book....and what do you know its a thriller as well. Well read on to find my review of Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne.

Here is the summary of the book:

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are...more Book covers do wonders to a book....and what do you know its a thriller as well. Well read on to find my review of Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne.

Here is the summary of the book:

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

A creepy house, a teenage girl who can't seem to say those words (imagine it all), and a boyfriend who has a dark side...sounds promising don't you think? Well read on...read on....

Both Colin and Hannah have been together for a year and so now Colin expects Hannah to say those three words, but somehow she can't pronounce them and is still waiting for the perfect moment. Collin will be leaving for college soon, so Hannah plans a trip to the lake house Colin went to as a child without telling him. Colin would rather not ever go back to that lake house, although he isn't sure what it is that he doesn't like about it. Some things were a little off once this trip started. The roads to this lake house weren't even on a map. The house appears as if someone has been living there, but nobody has been there since Colin was last there. So something is off about the whole situation. As Collin grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. Something is definitely wrong here.

As far as the characters are considered they all seems pretty bland as well as the pacing of the story. Hannah is a sweet girl, who is a goody two shoes and seems very responsible. She doesn’t lie, she doesn’t steal, and does everything she can to take care of her little brother and help to support her family. But her boyfriend's leaving town so she breaks all the rules, she steals, lies and leaves her homes for a romantic getaway with her boyfriend in the middle of no where. But she still can't say the "L" word and much of the book is based on this.

Colin is a another one who isn't very well fleshed out. The book indicated that his family is rich and they definitely did not have fond memories of that "Pine House" but even that background is on looked into as well.

The plot also left disconnected, the climax happens towards the end and even that is not don't great. The pacing was very slow, the buildup for the climax is also pretty late. And the first half of the chapters are pretty slow and mundane. Regarding the concept of the story...well that was the only thing I liked about it all and the cover....which i'd say is GORGEOUS. But yes this short book could have used a bit more work regarding the plot, and the characterization to make it work.

"A creepy house in the middle of nowhere...definitely not a romantic getaway"

(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Ashley Fierro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lovely-covers, appealing-but-something-was-missing

Here's another book that captivated me by its cover (it reminded me of Ophelia from Shakespeare's "Hamlet"), but I was hopping it might live up to what I had build up in my mind...

The author spent entirely too much building to what was going on instead of actually having anything happen, but I kept reading anyway because it was interesting enough and I wanted to see where it went. I also found that the characters were flat sometimes; now the ending was great, it built up quite a lot, and then it...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Sherry Ellis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hannah and her boyfriend, Colin, have been dating for a year. Super sweet hunk, Colin, has no trouble telling Hannah that he loves her. But Hannah is just not sure. Perhaps a getaway alone with him will help her say those three words: I love you. While at Colin's house, she finds a map of an old vacation home. Perfect. She plans a surprise trip, and soon she and Colin are at the Pine House. What happens there is super creepy, and not at all what Hannah had envisioned.

Still Waters is a scary read...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: don-t-own, pulse-it

It was an easy read, but lacked something...
This review can also be found on PulseIt and on my blog.

Review:

a.) Characters: 2/5 score. Hannah was pretty bad. We are led to believe she is a good girlfriend, a good sister, and a good daughter. Then in a matter of two or three chapters she steals from her boyfriend, makes her brother stay with the creepy neighbor, and lies to her mother (all in the beginning of the book!). Colin seems more real than Hannah, and he is definitely an easier character t...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wait...so you're just gonna end the book right there Emma Carlson Berne? Really? How about, oh, I don't know, resolving things?! You can't just drop a random insane bomb on me like that and then a few pages later, go ahead and end the book. You just can't. That wasn't an ending. WHERE'S THE REST OF THE STORY? It took you that long to actually have something happen and then you just moved along like it was nothing, and tied things up with a pretty bow and ended it. Were you behind schedule on you...more Wait...so you're just gonna end the book right there Emma Carlson Berne? Really? How about, oh, I don't know, resolving things?! You can't just drop a random insane bomb on me like that and then a few pages later, go ahead and end the book. You just can't. That wasn't an ending. WHERE'S THE REST OF THE STORY? It took you that long to actually have something happen and then you just moved along like it was nothing, and tied things up with a pretty bow and ended it. Were you behind schedule on your deadline? Was your publisher threatening to drop you? Were you FORCED to just stop writing? WHAT HAPPENED?

This book, I tell you. *shakes head*

The pacing of this book was fairly slow. No complaints here, that's just how I like it. I mean there was a time in the book when NOTHING was happening but it was still okay just because the author did a really amazing job of prolonging things and making you think about all the possibilities of what could potentially occur in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. I absolutely loved the scenery and the descriptions of all the little odds and ends that came together to make Pine House and the surrounding area terrifying.

Chapter 15 gave me a nightmare. No really. It scared me more than anything I can ever remember reading. It was so vivid in my mind, that later when I went to bed, I had a dream very similar to what happened in the chapter. Holyshit. There are a lot of complaints I can make about Still Waters but Emma Carlson Berne really knows how to conjure up very real, terrifying images. Her writing is very good. Except for this line: "Colin chewed manfully for a few moments." Because really. Manfully?

I just kind of feel gipped. I spent $9.99 of my Barnes & Noble gift card on this book and I just feel like Ms. Berne led me on and teased me and got me all amped up and then left me hanging. Much like how Hannah did to Colin throughout most of this book, ohhhhhh. Speaking of, it super bothered me that there was not more ~physical contact~ between those two lovebirds. I mean, a house in the middle of nowhere..just the two of them..come on! (less)

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Jan 24, 2012 Zoë rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book. It was different than the stuff I usually read. It had the required amount of romance (but not the tell-him-I-love-him-after-5-minutes kind) that was laced with a lot of suspence. I guess the events in this book are the ultimate test for true love. I don't know how I would deal with those, but I think Hanna handled them very well. She's a great character and I'd liked to read more about her. Colin seems like a great boyfriend but further in the story it's clear that he's got a...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Bria rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was the type of book that I like to call, a cool-glass-of-lemonade book. It's short, fast, that easy read that you finish within a day. It's a spooky, mystery with a little romance mixed in.

As you can probably tell, I'm more of a 600+ page paranormal romance kinda girl, but this was a nice change of pace. The suspense was pretty good, and it built up towards the end. And I was actually pretty impressed with the character development. Hannah was an instantly likeable girl, she was torn betwe...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Tabitha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pulse-it, digital-reads, paranormal, young-adult, creepy

Everyone is comparing this book to The Shining, but since I've never watched or read The Shining, I don't see that.

I disliked Hannah instantly. The idea of having a romantic getaway with your boyfriend before he leaves for college is good, but the idea of taking him to a cabin in the middle of no where that he has expressed his hatred for? Dumb idea. But I kept reading anyway because it was interesting enough and I wanted to see where it went. It was creepy and eerie and just plain weird at som...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Amanda (Born Bookish) rated it 5 of 5 stars

As soon as I finished reading this book I looked up the author to see if she had written any other books because I wanted more! I don’t read YA thrillers often and was a little nervous when I started this but now that I finished I’m just itching to get my hands on another one.

This book was SO creepy! It probably didn’t help that I was always reading it in the middle of the night, when I was the only one in my house still awake, which of course made it seem even more creepy.

I really liked both of...more As soon as I finished reading this book I looked up the author to see if she had written any other books because I wanted more! I don’t read YA thrillers often and was a little nervous when I started this but now that I finished I’m just itching to get my hands on another one.

This book was SO creepy! It probably didn’t help that I was always reading it in the middle of the night, when I was the only one in my house still awake, which of course made it seem even more creepy.

I really liked both of the main characters, Hannah and Colin. From the very beginning Colin seems like a sweet, caring, boyfriend, I found it really hard to be wary of him, which we’re pretty much told to be from the synopsis.

Reading this book was like watching that movie where the main character is about to turn around and you know the bad guy is going be right there yet you still scream when it happens. The whole time I read I was on edge just waiting for that moment.

Pine House seemed like its own character the way Hannah and Colin called it by name and the detail in which it was described. I had a clear picture of it in my mind and felt like I was there walking through it.

There were a few loose ends throughout the story but nothing too bothersome. Little facts, like how neither of the characters think to bring food with them on their weekend getaway and how after being abandoned for 10 years Pine House still has food in the cabinets that Hannah & Colin actually eat! GROSS!

The town where Pine House is located is practically desolate with just a few strange inhabitants. The way the town and its people were described it seemed like something strange had happened there in the past but this was never really explained. . I thought this aspect was going to play into the story more and that we would learn why it was the way that it was.

In conclusion, I’m so glad I gave this one a chance and picked it up! I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for Emma’s next book, Never Let You Go coming out this December!
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Dec 12, 2011 Cheyenne Teska rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pulse-it, reviewed

After a year of being together, Colin expects Hannah to be ready to say the "L" word. Love. He's said it to her time and time again, hoping that she would soon return the feeling. It's not often that you read about a female character that's not willing to let these three little words rush out her her mouth the first chance she gets. Instead, Hannah plans a surprise vacation to the cabin that Colin's family owned. Colin doesn't seem too eager, especially when she spills where they're going while...more After a year of being together, Colin expects Hannah to be ready to say the "L" word. Love. He's said it to her time and time again, hoping that she would soon return the feeling. It's not often that you read about a female character that's not willing to let these three little words rush out her her mouth the first chance she gets. Instead, Hannah plans a surprise vacation to the cabin that Colin's family owned. Colin doesn't seem too eager, especially when she spills where they're going while they're more than half way to the Pine House. Something doesn't seem quite right when they can't even locate the cabin on Google Maps.

Deep inside the woods, the cabin sits aside a large lake and to their surprise, the door is unlocked when they reach to open it. Though you can tell the no one's been here for years, it does look as though Colin's family had left in a hurry. Colin's mood transformed into something actually enjoyable once they set foot in the musty old place.

I have to say that I enjoyed the relationship between the two. Though he was leaving for college at the end of the summer, they seemed like the type of couple that would last. Soon, the trip that Hannah wanted to make their last hurrah turned into a disaster. The closest town was about 25 miles away and everything was eerily deserted other than an old diner where the locals stared at Colin as if they knew something Hannah didn't. Perhaps the cabin had something to do with the death of Colin's older brother after all...

The weird thing is that Colin isn't quite acting right. He'd have episodes, as if he were sleepwalking during the day. Hannah knew something was off, but she's known him for a year. He's just going through something. Not sleeping well, perhaps. After the huge storm is when everything changes completely. Colin turns into her worst nightmare and she's trapped at the cabin without a phone and a way to get out.

Seriously, I shouldn't have read the last half of this book at 5:30 in the morning in the darkness. Emma Carlson Berne really knows how to get your imagination working with the descriptions she uses to explain what's going on with Colin. I don't think I've ever been so creeped out reading a book, but I loved those creepy parts the most. The book was enjoyable because no matter how much I tried to guess what was going to happen at the end, I was never able to. This is definitely a book you want to dig into.(less)

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Dec 23, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I love YA thrillers specifically because you know there is always some romance mixed in there. This was no exception to the rule. Hannah and her boyfriend are both pretty starry eyed and they can both ooze with romance at different times. Then comes the thriller part, Hannah acts “unlike” herself by planning the trip to the lake house – which is completely out of character for her, but she’s not the one we are worried about. It’s when Colin acts nothing like himself that it starts to get weird....more

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Jan 18, 2012 Amanda (Letters Inside Out) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I kept hearing not-so-positive things about Still Waters, but knew I had to give it a try. The premise sounds creepy (and fun).

I loved the book up until the last few chapters. I kept telling my reading-buddies "Well, I don't get why people aren't crazy about it..it's great." Things fizzed out, if fell flat. There was a great build-up then the ending was just...there. I think it could've been better if it had ended just a bit earlier with a more...shocking ending.

I urge everyone to give it a try...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews

I knew after reading this book from reviews that the little light indicating "This-will-remind-you-of-The-Shining-by-Steven-King" would siren and it did. From the very moment that Hannah wants to take her boyfriend, Colin, to a secluded, old, decaying house not indicated on any map, the thought stuck like a fly in honey.

Now the basic plot of the book fir Hannah to finally admit and say that she loves Colin after a year of dating. To do...more

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May 10, 2013 Gapeach rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is one of those times I wished I had paid attention to the reviews. I flew through this one (sometimes skipping over) not because I couldn't put it down but because I can very rarely not finish a book. I wanted to see how it ended but didn't care enough to actually read every word. The characters fell flat. Hannah and Colin are both annoyingly unlikeable. SPOILERS

Hannah is such a goody goody that taking an old map and picture from her boyfriend's house in her mind is stealing. When Colin fi...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

So…Still Waters. I had some issues with this one, beginning with Hannah herself. I didn’t understand her propensity for lying, and I didn’t understand her kind of infantalized treatment by her mother. For someone who had graduated from high school it struck me as kind of odd that she’d have to beg and plead to be allowed to go out of town FOR WORK (which, granted, was a lie…but still). Maybe my parents were just more easygoing than I thought? While it was nice to see some actual parenting in a Y...more

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About Emma Carlson Berne

Emma Carlson Berne is the author of the YA thrillers STILL WATERS and NEVER LET YOU GO (coming Fall 2012 from Simon & Schuster). She has also written the thrillers FIGMENT and CHOKER under the pen name Elizabeth Woods. She lives and writes in Cincinnati. Learn more about Emma and contact her directly at her website, www.emmacarlsonberne.com. Or check out Emma Carlson Berne Books on http://www....more

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“Awkwardness with the boyfriend who tried to drown you because he thought he was his own dead brother who turned out not to be dead. Probably not a lot of advice lying around for this particular relationship problem -Hannah” — 1 person liked it

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