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In the Stillness

Andrea Randall

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What Members Thought

Apr 19, 2013 Steph rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-read, buddy-read, read-with-shanna

I am going to keep this review as short as I can because I can’t say too much without ruining the story for those of you who haven’t read it. Add in the fact that it’s all just so complex and amazing, I don’t think I could really do it the justice it deserves.

’In the Stillness’ is a hard-hitting, painful and beautiful love story. It’s the story of two people who fell in love and who meant the absolute world to each other. It’s about seeing the brutal effects that going to War has on its so ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

May 03, 2013 Erica Alyson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorite-books, new-adult

WOW! The back of this book had me really really nervous. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to tackle the subject of cutting. I had read another book by Andrea Randall and really liked her writing so I bought it the day it came out. I had to wait to see a few reviews (not the words just the ratings) because I was so nervous. The reviews from some of my favorite bloggers were amazing so I went in feet first and when I came out I felt happy.

I was nervous in the beginning. Every time Natalie ...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Natalie rated it it was ok

Well, what can I say? This one didn´t work for me at all. It was too alike The Sea of Tranquility. I did not like the pace, not really the characters, there was almost no romance whatsoever. Aaaand, ther was cheating involved. I´m sorry, that´s a hard limit for me, even though I did´t care much for the character. It disgusts me. This book made me depressed, simple as that.

While I can understand why people would appriciate this kind of book, and find it incredible beautiful and emotinal. I am sad ...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: smibookclub-review, my-favorites, books-that-blew-me-away, adult-contempt, romance, top-favs, tough-topic, tear-jerker, 2013-top-books

Let me say this first, I LOVE ANDREA RANDALL! Ok, whew, I feel better now! So, anyone who follows me on Twitter *should* know how much of a fan of hers I am. Reckless Abandon was THE sequel I was waiting for more than any other one on my long, long, LOOOOOONG list of anticipated sequels for 2013. Andrea is so amazingly gifted in her writing that there are just no words that can express just how impressive her work really is.

Ok, ok, I know. I’m supposed to be reviewing IN THE STILLNESS. Moving al Let me say this first, I LOVE ANDREA RANDALL! Ok, whew, I feel better now! So, anyone who follows me on Twitter *should* know how much of a fan of hers I am. Reckless Abandon was THE sequel I was waiting for more than any other one on my long, long, LOOOOOONG list of anticipated sequels for 2013. Andrea is so amazingly gifted in her writing that there are just no words that can express just how impressive her work really is.

Ok, ok, I know. I’m supposed to be reviewing IN THE STILLNESS. Moving along… The first chapter for IN THE STILLNESS was put at the end of RECKLESS ABANDON. Now, normally I don’t read chapter teasers (although a few slip through the cracks now and again); but it’s ANDREA with a NEW BOOK, so I HAD TO! SHE MADE ME DO IT!!! And THAT chapter is exactly why authors put the teasers out there and exactly why I don’t read them. I had to have this book. Like NOW. So, I waited and waited and then waited some more. Then BOOM, ANDREA releases IN THE STILLNESS a few days early. And I CAN’T start it yet. *cue my sad face* I had to finish another book to review with a tight deadline. So finally... I have it. It’s mine. And it was so worth the wait!

If you follow Andrea on Twitter or Facebook, you’ll know that she’s referred to as a WORD NINJA. Seriously. We don’t just get to read her books we get to live them. Breathe them. Experience them. And IN THE STILLNESS is no different. It’s amazing how much you can connect with a character just by the way someone writes them.

“Mom – the most four-letter three-letter word I know.” So we’ve got Natalie, a stay-at-home Mom of twin boys. While she loves her boys, this is not the life she had planned for herself. She resents her husband, Eric, who has been able to go back to school and complete a PhD program and get the job of his dreams. All while Natalie stays at home wondering if she’s even EXISTING anymore.

As an old vice resurfaces as a way with dealing with her struggles, memories return full force of the life she WANTED, the life she PLANNED. But that life involved Ryker and she hasn’t seen him in 10 years when he returned from Afghanistan a changed man and things went south QUICKLY. “Ryker doesn’t exist anymore. I mean, he didn’t come home in a body bag like Lucas did, but he may as well have. They took his soul over there, fuckers, and left me with the breathing carcass.” (See what we mean: WORD NINJA)
IN THE STILLNESS is Natalie’s journey through her struggles, her coping mechanism, her marriage, her family and the possibility of having Ryker back in her life. It’s a story that SO many Moms can relate to. I know I did. Immediately. I don’t have the same struggles as Natalie and I don’t even have anywhere near the same story as her, but I could see so much of myself in her that it was scary. No, wait I take that back, it’s….comforting? I was crying within the first few pages. I saw myself right there on those pages and it my tears were such a cathartic release.

Normally with any new book there is that settling time where you are getting into the book, adjusting to the characters, trying to fit in; but not here; the connection is immediate. And from the beginning, I really didn’t know how the rest of the book was going to play out. But I assure you, it’s BEAUTIFUL and worth the pain and the tears. IN THE STILLNESS becomes the 3rd book this year for “Best Of”” and is most definitely on my Best Book EVER list as well.

What I liked: Scratch that! What I LOVED is more like it. I’m such a stickler for the WRITING in a book. I need to be able to FEEL it and I absolutely did here. Andrea is a WORD NINJA! I loved the realness of everything and I loved, loved, LOVED the topics that the story was based around. I loved the beginning; I loved the ending but I LOVED the journey more than anything. I loved the growth in the characters. I LOVED how Ryker chose to handle seeing Natalie again and of course, I loved how he was with Ollie.

What I didn’t like: I can’t believe I’m even going to put anything in here and it’s not that I didn’t like it, I just ached for more. The first part of the book is so detailed and so full of information; you easily attach to the characters while the timeline moves along at a slower pace. The second part of the book flies through time quicker and when this happens I usually lose my connection to the character. I’m not getting all those details I love. I know why the time had to pass, otherwise the ending would have been totally different or we would need another book, but I felt like some of those little details were swept away.
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