The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Title: The Sea of Tranquility 
Author: Katja Millay
Pages: 448
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: September 5, 2012 or June 4, 2013 (paperback)
Genre: New Adult/Fiction

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Summary:  (Goodreads)

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.

All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

*Received for review by Atria Books/Simon Schuster Canada for honest review* 

Review: 

One word: AMAZING!! This book has to be one of the best books I have ever read!! The Sea of Tranquility was mind-blowing and I felt like re-reading it over again and again. Katja Millay is one talented writer because this book was phenomenal, and is definitely a must read! I read this during the holidays and I could not put it down, because I had to know what was going to happen! I feel like a reread already!

As a good way to begin this review I am going to tell you to pick this book up immediately and to never put it down because as characters and plot goes it was very well done. When I heard about this book I did not expect to love it as much as I did. But I was wrong and I fell in love with the book. It was honest, intriguing, and the characters will have you crying! It was a little hard to get through the beginning but it was worth it due to the immense plot and understanding of Nastya and Josh. The Sea of Tranquility is a story that is full of emotion, love and forgiveness. As the plot deepens you see that Nastya and Josh grow together in order to move on from their past. 

Told in two different perspectives of Nastya Kashnikov  and Josh Bennett we get to learn about their story and Nastya is one tough character who has gone through a lot. You feel for them throughout the entire novel. What I loved most about them is that some people have gone through different ways to succeed and fall in love. Katja Millay makes you feel connected with her characters as each goes through different stages of their lives. The relationship between Nastya and Josh started of rough as you get to see Nastya's dark stage as she wants to hide away from the past as she says that she is broken, as well as not speaking to any of her family members for 2 years. Josh opens up about his past at the same time Nastya also is confronting herself as well. This was no insta-love at all, it was a growing relationship starting off as friends developed later as they got to know each other, finding they are alike in certain ways. It was character driven and insanely addictive to read! 

As you can see in this review, I have fallen in love with Katja Millay debut novel, The Sea of Tranquility because it was written beautifully at the same time was full of self redeeming characters who get through pain. This has definitely become one of my favorite all time books. Your emotions will run high but you will be thinking about this book for days after you read it! I am looking forward to many more works by Katja Millay because this book was perfect and its what every book should be! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a passionate novel.

5/5