5 Stars Review – The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Have you ever read a book that just “sticks with you?”  No matter how much you really try, it stays in your head.  You read other books, but they aren’t enough to get this other book out of your mind.

This is what The Sea of Tranquility was like for me, even years after reading it for the first time.

It’s my go-to book for when I am stuck in a book slump and I need something to remind me of why exactly I love reading so much.

It is because of books like this that I continue reading.

My prince amongst a pond full of toads.

Nastya Kashnikov has been through something traumatic.  Something that has done damage to not only her body, but her life.  A once gifted piano player, Nastya is forced to give up this part of herself because she can no longer use her left hand to play.  But more than her hand was damaged by this trauma; her once comfortable and predictable life is taken from her by an event that she can not seem to make peace with.  When she begins to remember, she makes a conscious decision to stop speaking.  When she moves away from her former life and her family, to live with her Aunt, she also changes her appearance, with the goal: to make her as unapproachable as possible.

Josh Bennett has also been through some tough events in his life, losing too many people in too short of a time.  He is a loner, who would rather spend time building furniture than building relationships.  He does this to protect himself, fearing another inevitable loss.

In Josh, Nastya finds a hesitant friend.

As the story continues, Josh and Nastya become closer and their relationship grows.

Why do I keep coming back for more?

• This story was so completely and utterly unique.
• The story-building wasn’t rushed and things seemed to happen at a realistic pace.
• The characters were believable and different from one another in a way that helped me become more attached to their individual stories.
• The relationships that occurred between each character added depth/value to the story and did not seem fake.
• The individual struggles Nastya and Josh go through were realistic and heartbreaking, making me empathize with the pain they felt during their prospective problems.
• It’s a beautiful story.

You need this book in your life!