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In the Stillness

Andrea Randall

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Captive in the Dark (Dark Duet #1) 1/21/13
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What Members Thought

Apr 12, 2013 Akanksha❤ Søren♰ rated it really liked it

Shelves: baby-kid

I love you so much, Natalie, and when I get home I’m going to keep loving you until you tell me to stop. But don’t, please.
Don’t tell me to stop.
I love you.
With everything.
~ Ry

I wish I knew how to rate this book, I really do. I want to give it a 1 star and 5 stars!!
Messed up right?

The summary doesn't give you much, but its ok I guess.. You should still read this book; because the story is bloody amazing.
Its like you're reading someone's private diary. Reading through their thoughts, ...more

33 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2013 Anna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hand-to-my-heart-and-tears-falling, if-i-m-brave-enough-maybe

5 GRAB-YOUR-KLEENEX-AND-HAVE-A-PITCHER-OF-TEQUILA-HANDY-BECAUSE-YOU-WILL-UGLY-CRY ~ STARS !!!

THIS BOOK WAS BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!HEARTBREAKING EMOTIONAL JUST BEAUTIFUL !!!!
Song on repeat : The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band

This is a story about Natalie and Ryker. Natalie is a wife, mother, and cutter. Clawing at walls built by resentment, regret and guilt. Life happens. Her life plans got derailed......

Ryker is a soldier in the National Guard. September 11 happened and he was deployed to Afghani ...more

31 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 Lucinda - I JUST LOVE TO READ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-2013-read

5 BRILLIANT EMOTIONAL STARS

Ok to be honest if I didn’t see Aestas review I would have NEVER read this book.

The blurb is as follows:

Natalie is a wife.
Natalie is a mother.
Natalie is a cutter.

Clawing at walls built by resentment, regret, and guilt, Natalie cuts as an escape from a life she never planned.

Staying present is only possible when you let go of the past. But, what if the past won't let go?

Doesn’t tell you much yeah??!!!

I needed some more emotional, I’m a bit sexed up after all the ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Karen rated it it was amazing

OH WOW!!!!! Sensational book!!!!

This really was an amazing story. I don’t even know where to start with my review. One thing I do want to say right off the bat, is that is was not an easy book for me to read. The issues in this book were so real, and so raw, that I had to remind myself frequently that this was a work of fiction. The story played out like a diary of someone’s life, a someone with real life issues and pain, a flawed soul that struggled for survival in a world mucked up…

by terrori ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2013 Tom rated it really liked it

Solid 4.5 for me in a real page turner with real life characters!

Natalie’s life is far from everything she has dreamed up. Her love life was sidetracked early on when circumstances out of her control takes the love of her life away from her. As she tries to move on, her career gets put on hold as she has an unexpected, unwanted pregnancy. Raising children can be a pressure cooker for those that embrace it and have support. She has neither as her husband is often missing while working in his lab Solid 4.5 for me in a real page turner with real life characters!

Natalie’s life is far from everything she has dreamed up. Her love life was sidetracked early on when circumstances out of her control takes the love of her life away from her. As she tries to move on, her career gets put on hold as she has an unexpected, unwanted pregnancy. Raising children can be a pressure cooker for those that embrace it and have support. She has neither as her husband is often missing while working in his lab getting his PHD and is rarely around to help her. As the pressure builds she resumes cutting as a way of escape but with her life falling apart cutting can’t lead anywhere good.

I totally connected with the characters in this book, maybe more so than some of my friends. People started commenting on Eric being a douche when I was at 19%. I’m not sure if they felt that way when they read it or if they were just commenting because they were going by their feelings by the middle/end of the book. I was apart of both worlds when my first one was born. I was going to school at night full time and watching the baby in the day for the first year. I know the feelings of frustrations that Natalie felt and I remember the weight coming off when my wife came home and this was from a planned situation which I couldn’t have loved my child more. Once I was back to work I worked many 70-80 weeks putting together money to buy a house and to provide for my family. I guess that’s why it took me longer to jump on the Eric hater train. I totally felt for Natalie. I’ve been married 24 years and I can’t say that I haven’t felt trapped a time or two. I also ended up giving up my pursuit of a degree to provide for my family in the NOW. Ryker was an awesome character and I couldn’t even begin to understand what he went through and I’m selfishly glad that I can’t. I loved how the story evolved and was glad that certain parts didn’t escalate into more drama than there was.

Recommended for anyone that loves real life drama with relatable situations. I’m going to keep my eye open for more from this writer because I loved the writing and the flow of the book.
...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Tamara Hook Me Up Book Blog rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites

"But the thing about guilt is, no one can take it away for you; you have to unpack it yourself."

WOW. This book has touched my soul and I cannot stop thinking about it.

I had read so many good reviews that I had to give it a go even though it didn't really sound like my cup of tea. I have never understood why people cut even though I am the type of person who can usually find a way to understand other people's choices in life. With this in mind I really wasn't interested in the subject matter.

I s "But the thing about guilt is, no one can take it away for you; you have to unpack it yourself."

WOW. This book has touched my soul and I cannot stop thinking about it.

I had read so many good reviews that I had to give it a go even though it didn't really sound like my cup of tea. I have never understood why people cut even though I am the type of person who can usually find a way to understand other people's choices in life. With this in mind I really wasn't interested in the subject matter.

I struggled through the first half of this book. Natalie was not a likeable character for most of this part of the book. What I did get though was her intense feelings of resentment and regret. I think most of us struggle with these types of issues at some points in our lives.

As the book progressed and Natalie started dealing with her issues I really started to enjoy it. And then I realised that the first half of the book was such an essential part of the whole story and the honesty from that part of the book really made the book what it became. I spent time thinking about the themes in the book and I realised that the author had written in such a way that it opened me up and made me look at some of the issues I have dealt with in my life, particularly some that happened years ago that I still haven't fully dealt with. And I believe that many readers will go through this process while reading this book.

"I've learned that holding onto resentment and anger only poisons me. Forgiveness is the only way I have a shot of being healthy again."

Natalie became an inspiring character to me by the end of this book. I loved how the author took her on the journey to find a way to love herself again. I loved Ryker as well and their story but, for me, this book was all about one woman's quest to accept the choices she has had to make in her life and find a way to love herself in spite of them.

"I don't mean that Ryker is the only person that can love you that way. I mean you're worthy of the kind of love found in the pages of those letters, Nat. You hear me? But, it needs to come from you, first. You have to love you, again."

When we read a book we all come at it from different angles and take something truly our own from it. You will perhaps get something completely different from this book than I got from it. That's what I love about books. I thank Andrea Randall for writing this book because it has touched me deeply and I know that what I take from it will help me greatly in my life.

...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2014 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-on-kindle, books-i-loved, contemporary-romance, broken-lost-soul-tragic, what-an-ass, love-triangles, cheaters, ugly-cries, military-war-hero-ptsd, unconditional-love

5 Mind blowing, painful stars!!! This beautifully written books pages were filled with so much guilt, pain, aching torment and regret that it made my heart hurt for the three main characters in this book. Also, as in all emotionally painful books, there's forgiveness, healing, hope and second chances scatter through out the pages of this book. Reading this book drained me emotionally, and I highly recommend a box of tissues.

...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2013 Riya Sharma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: c-contemporary-romance, c-new-adult, military-man, true-love, angst, female-pov

This book is real. No fancy words, no sweet talks. It's just what it is. Five stars.
I was totally engaged from the beginning. A real page turner. You are anxious to know, what comes next, how it came to this. You may even want to stop for a few seconds, regroup your emotions. No character is perfect. Humans are flawed. They are bound to mistakes. A perfect example in this book. And yet the characters rise from it, learn to forgive and forget. Life is cruel so more precious is the few months of j ...more

1 like · Like · see review