In the Stillness in Buddy Read Zone

May 10, 2013 destini rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

“They took his soul over there, fuckers, and left me with the breathing carcass.”

In the Stillness was intense, emotional, and breathtakingly honest. This is a story that touches your heart & mind and left me speechless in the end.
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♦︎ The Story ♦︎

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

Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW. This is a story someone can ea
“They took his soul over there, fuckers, and left me with the breathing carcass.”

In the Stillness was intense, emotional, and breathtakingly honest. This is a story that touches your heart & mind and left me speechless in the end.
____________________________________________

♦︎ The Story ♦︎

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

Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW. This is a story someone can easily love. This wasn't even on my to-read list, but I though eh, what the hell and decided to go for it. Best. Decision. Ever.

It's completely realistic... her hopes, struggles, voice, everything. To me, it's what made this a five-star read.

∙Recap

Natalie once had her life in order. She was going to get her degree in anthropology and travel the world.

But things changed when she unexpectedly becomes a mother and wife. In order to stay strong for her family, she patches a bandaid on a festering wound that, over the years, becomes too much to ignore. In order to escape, she seeks an old friend, her blade. And for her to get better, she's going to have to face her past and learn to let go.
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In the Stillness does deal with the issue of self-multilation, but it's so much more than that.
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♦︎ Characters ♦︎

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∙Natalie

I exist. Right?

Natalie is one of my favorite heroines ever. You can't help but share in her pain, betrayal and loneliness. There were so many things weighing Natalie down and holding her back, that cutting was her only way of escaping, of staying sane. She had dreams and aspirations, just like any of us, and although she loves her children, she can't help but yearn for the life she could have had.

∙Eric

I have mixed feelings about Eric... and they lean towards the negative. He's a perfect example of sometimes, love just isn't enough. Do I understand why he did the things he did? Eh… yesish. Does it justify it? Absolutely not.
To put it in simpler terms, all he cared about was himself and his image.
∙Ryker

“His body came home, but his soul had been devoured in the firefight of a godless desert.”

Oh, how my heart went out to him! His character was fictional but his stubble wasn't.

Ryker was swoon-worthy and so playful and sweet... ♥ it was difficult to read of how much they struggled to piece each other together and find their way... whether it was together or alone. I was so proud to see how much he grew as a person.
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♦︎ Overall ♦︎

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“How’d you get through it? The uncertainty, I mean.”
“Because I was never uncertain about our hearts.”

This book is a must-read, for sure. From beginning to end your experiencing and feeling everything that goes on. I can't stress enough how realistic this book was, even the ending was fulfilling without being overdone.

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Apr 22, 2013 Indie and All Books rated it it was amazing

For more reviews and other fun stuff follow my blog at www.indieandallbooks.com

Could. Not. Put. Down.

This is the kind of book that changes you… whether it be how you live your life or how you view the life of someone else.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone. I’ll admit when I read the summary I almost didn’t want to read this.. my first thought was, “ugghh, not this emo crap…” and yes I realize I sound like an ass saying that. I accept that and if you are reading my reviews you are goin For more reviews and other fun stuff follow my blog at www.indieandallbooks.com

Could. Not. Put. Down.

This is the kind of book that changes you… whether it be how you live your life or how you view the life of someone else.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone. I’ll admit when I read the summary I almost didn’t want to read this.. my first thought was, “ugghh, not this emo crap…” and yes I realize I sound like an ass saying that. I accept that and if you are reading my reviews you are going to have to accept that too.

This book is raw, emotional, and brutally honest. It deals with real issues such as cutting, depression, and PTSD, and does an amazing job in my opinion. Natalie is so flawed like many of us and I love when an author has the guts to make someone real.. not book real, but really real… all the nitty gritty included, even if it doesn’t make for the prettiest picture.

Natalie is a 29 year old married woman with two sons who is unsatisfied with her life. She feels like she no longer knows herself. At one time she had big dreams, but now finds herself in a loveless marriage and the stay-at-home-mother of twin 4 year old boys. She begins to question the decisions she has made in her life, and eventually in order to heal, she has to figure out what changes she needs to make to get back on the right road.

I’m not a cutter, but I could relate to Natalie in so many ways. I really understood her and some days her life is my life. It’s easy to lose yourself in this world and sometimes when you fall so far the only place left to go is up. It was inspiring to watch Natalie take back control of her life, despite the obstacles.

Many of Natalie’s issues stem from a relationship she had before her husband. Ryker was a soldier who went to war and came back with PTSD. I love how the author tells the story of a returning soldier. So many people want to ignore or overlook what happens to these people when they are no longer fighting for us. The truth is that many who go fight for us come back a shell of the person they left…. some may eventually resemble the person they once were, but many never return to the person we knew and loved. It’s a sad, sad injustice.

Overall, this is an inspiring story about a woman’s journey to find the person she once was and learn to forgive herself of the wrong turns she took and learn how to heal.

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Apr 18, 2013 All-Things-Books [Whairigail] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites

5 Heartbreaking, Wonderful Stars

**Edited Review**

In The Stillness

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?

This is one of those "Oh I'm not sure that will be my cup of tea / The storyline seems a bit dark / I dont deal well with reading about self harm / I'll put it to ...more

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Jul 23, 2013 ♡ Sasha - TEAM ELLIE. ♥ rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read, not-for-everyone

This was a beautiful story... I know a lot of people tend to stir away from intense sensitive subjects such as cutting... But this story is so much more than a woman cutting...

Full review coming soon

2 likes · Like · see review